Dutch, German troops to help establish NATO command center in Estonia

Dutch and German forces will likely deploy dozens of troops to Estonia to help set up a command center responsible for coordinating NATO defense activities in the region, according to sources familiar with the plans. The plan “is still being worked out,” Prime Minister Rob Jetten said, adding that it will then be submitted to parliament.

Dutch defense officials have so far declined to confirm the mission. Last year, the Netherlands and Germany placed the headquarters of the First German-Dutch Army Corps (1GNC) at NATO’s disposal, while keeping its permanent base in Münster, Germany. Additional backing from allied nations was sought for the operation, and about 14 countries are now reportedly involved.

The Baltic states are currently overseen by a NATO command structure based in Poland. However, since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have grown increasingly concerned about the threat posed by Moscow.

By establishing a tactical headquarters in the region, NATO hopes to accelerate its response time in the event of a Russian attack. Rapid action is seen as crucial because the Baltic nations are relatively small and vulnerable to being quickly overwhelmed. The 1GNC command center can coordinate operations involving tens of thousands of soldiers.

Dutch forces have been active in the Baltic region for many years. As part of NATO’s Air Policing operations, the Royal Netherlands Air Force periodically sends aircraft to safeguard the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The latest mission occurred between late 2024 and early 2025, during which four Dutch F-35s were based in Estonia.

Since 2017, Dutch soldiers have been deployed in Lithuania as part of the NATO multinational battlegroup commanded by Germany. Berlin is preparing to permanently base a brigade in the country.

The Netherlands has so far contributed rotating contingents of up to 350 troops, but some members of parliament have argued in favor of a permanent Dutch military presence as well. The Cabinet is set to make a decision soon on whether to continue the mission.

The alliance moved to reinforce NATO’s eastern border as concerns over Russia intensified. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, military deployments across Eastern Europe have increased further. The Netherlands contributes to these efforts by using unmanned MQ-9 Reaper aircraft for reconnaissance missions in Romania, while Dutch personnel in Poland help defend a major logistical center supporting Ukraine, partly with Patriot missile systems.

The Dutch military is also set to conduct drone exercises in Latvia in order to prepare as quickly as possible for the warfare of the future, De Telegraaf reports. Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz is attending a drone summit in Riga together with 40 Dutch companies to help rapidly equip the armed forces with specialized units and drones. “It is also a message to Putin that we are taking this seriously.”

Yeşilgöz said the military must move quickly to adapt to modern warfare, stressing that developments in drone technology are advancing rapidly. “The speed is enormous. We need to keep expanding our drone capacity, and Latvia offers the space needed for large-scale exercises,” she said.

Defense is also establishing dedicated drone units, with plans to train 600 specialists in the near future and eventually grow that number to between 1,000 and 1,200 personnel. Speaking ahead of an annual drone summit, Yeşilgöz said interest in the program has been overwhelming. “Recruitment is going very well. We are among the first countries to build units like this.”