Germany and the Netherlands have taken over command of NATO's land forces stationed in Estonia and Latvia, establishing a new headquarters to bolster deterrence on the alliance's eastern flank.
"It shows we are ready to assume greater responsibility for Europe’s security," German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said at the handover ceremony in the Estonian-Latvian border town of Valga.
He described the German-Dutch Corps as a "success story of military integration in Europe" and "a symbol of what we can achieve when borders become irrelevant."
"The corps is a role model for European defence cooperation and proves that multinational integration makes us stronger, more capable, and more effective," Pistorius added.
The corps will be responsible for military exercises and, in the event of a conflict, for the defence of the eastern flank. The headquarters will serve as a second tactical centre for the region.
So far, responsibility for this has rested with the NATO headquarters in Poland. The establishment of a headquarters for the Baltic States had been under discussion since the NATO summit in 2023.
The German-Dutch Corps was established in 1995 and is based in Münster. Command rotates between the two countries. In addition to the Netherlands and Germany, 14 other NATO allies currently contribute personnel.
The headquarters can command an international force of around 50,000 troops and has led several international operations in the past.
