Baltic States, Poland Seek EU Fund for Border Protection

NATO members Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland will seek funds from the European Union to build a network of bunkers, barriers, supply lines and military warehouses along their borders with Russia and Belarus, Estonia officials said on Saturday.

The three Baltic countries initially announced the plan for a “Baltic Defence Line” in January.

In May, Poland announced a similar project called “Eastern Moduy” in order to strengthen its borders with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus.

“Nevoja for a line of defence (baltic) stems from the security situation and supports NATO's new defence concept”, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevcur said in a statement, adding that “is extremely important to co-ordinate our activities with Poland”.

“at the same time strengthens the security of the European Union and military protection of its borders, so we think the EU can financially support this project”, he said.

The defence ministers of four European countries located on the eastern NATO side met on Friday in the southeastern town of Latvia, Daugavpils, to discuss funding the project.

They did not explain how much financial assistance Brussels would ask for this project, but stressed in a joint statement that “Russia's fight against Ukraine has shown that the creation of physical obstacles on an open ground without natural protection is also key to advanced technological warfare”.

The ministers said that external threats at the Baltic-Polack border are increasing, so the establishment of fortifications along the border with Russia and Belarus <x0); top priority is being contributed to our promise to protect every centimeter of territory (of NATO)”. /RadioEurope Free