The key facts

  • The Riigikogu approved in the first reading a bill on a mandate for up to 100 troops for operations in 2027
  • The government will be able to use the mandate in case of urgent need
  • During the debate, the question of operations on the territory of Ukraine without prior public notification was raised

What Estonia's parliament decided

Estonia's parliament (the Riigikogu) passed in the first reading a bill that, from 2027, will allow the government to send troops to take part in international operations without obtaining separate permission from parliament. This is reported by the Delfi portal. Estonia's Minister of Defence Martin Herem explained that the cabinet is requesting a mandate for the participation of up to 100 troops in international operations in 2027 and will be able to use it in case of urgent need.

Ukraine and context

During the discussion of the document, according to Delfi, the possibility of Estonian troops taking part in operations on the territory of Ukraine without prior public notification was raised. The bill's passage in the first reading does not yet mean a final decision: the document still faces further consideration in parliament. The broader defence line of Tallinn also serves as context: Financial Times previously reported on the constant rotation of Estonian troops closer to the border with Russia as part of an 'active defence' strategy aimed at preventing an invasion rather than at subsequent countermeasures; it was also previously reported that the Baltic states are preparing for war with Russia without US assistance.