Turkey has decided to take part in the Baltic Air Policing mission, NATO’s standing peacetime activity helping ensure the integrity of the airspace over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Turkey will participate in the Baltic Air Policing mission in 2026.
“Estonia and Turkey have close relations in both the economy and culture; however, they are best illustrated by our defence cooperation,” the Estonian foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said in a statement.
“We have been allies in NATO for 20 years now and Turkey’s decision to take part in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing in 2026 sends a clear message of allied unity and readiness to contribute to the security of the alliance.”
Tsahkna said Estonia highly appreciated Turkey’s decision.
“In a tense security situation, the permanent and visible presence of allies in our region is crucial. Defending the air space of the alliance from Ämari reinforces collective defence as a whole.”
In 2024, Estonia also marked the centenary of the diplomatic relations with Turkey.
Turkey has previously taken part in the mission – in 2006 and 2021.
The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert in order to guard the airspace above Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Allies have been taking turns in safeguarding the Baltic airspace since 2004, when the three countries joined NATO. Since then, seventeen allies have participated in 91 rotations of the Baltic Air Policing mission, which is an expression of the solidarity among NATO members.
