Estonia calls for EU “military Schengen” to speed up weapon transfers

Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur has proposed that the European Union create a "military Schengen" to allow weapons to be transported quickly between member states.

In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, Pevkur emphasised that defence and military planning remain the responsibility of NATO. However, he argued that a streamlined system within the EU could facilitate faster movement of military equipment across borders, citing the example of transferring weapons from Spain to Estonia without bureaucratic delays, Caliber.Az reports. 

Pevkur also suggested that the EU could take collective decisions on assisting member states through joint financing and procurement, similar to the approach taken during the migration crisis.

On the conflict in Ukraine, the minister expressed the view that the country’s potential acquisition of Tomahawk cruise missiles would be unlikely to significantly alter the course of the war.

By Sabina Mammadli