General Raymondas Vicinores, head of the defense of the Li -Armed Forces, Major General, General Kasparb Bodias, Commander of the Latvian National Armed Forces, and Major General Andros Merlo, the head of the defense of Estonia, addresses the public at the Blue Maktiki College.
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Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia visited the defense leaders at the Baltic College in Tartu, Estonia, April 16, 2025. As a major institution accredited by NATO for vocational military education in the Baltic region, the college attracts students from all over the NATO Alliance and Partnership in Peace Cases.
During the “main challenges in implementing the defense policy”, the three defense heads stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation with the United States, with a special focus on the United States army.
During the visit, General Raymondas Vicenores, commander of the Li-Armed Forces, stressed the strengthening of cooperation between the United States of America and Latifa, and the unification of cooperation between Germany-Lithuania, especially with the strengthening of the eleventh milk.
Vaikšnoras highlighted the support of two American battalions from the first brigade, the third infantry band, Fort Stewart, Georgia, revolves in Lithuania. He also stressed the importance of the state partnership program with Pennsylvania in enhancing bilateral cooperation.
“The long -term cooperation with the United States, which started 30 years ago, has focused in particular on the state partnership program, which helped us to develop our forces,” said Vaikšnoras. “The American presence in Lithuania is one of the main deterrents of potential opponents.”
He stressed that European activities have traces all the way to China and highlighted that tensions in the Pacific will also affect Europe. His recent visit to IndoPacom allowed him to share the lessons learned to exchange information between theaters.
He said: “Knowing the scope and what is the matter of Eddubakum that it faces, looks at the map and sees that the Pacific Ocean is twice the size of the Atlantic Ocean.” “For me, this confirms the challenges facing the United States at the Pacific Theater.”
Major General Evo Bodons, who recently took over the leadership of the Latvian National Armed Forces on January 27, 2025, emphasized the pivotal role of the government partnership program with Michigan.
“I am grateful to support the United States in our development years, which contributed greatly to the growth of our forces,” Pudāns said, “The state partnership program with Michigan was particularly useful in the integration of air lands through (joint ice attack observer), and this cooperation continues to develop through other fields.”
He also stressed the importance of the presence of US soldiers in Latvia, saying: “I am pleased with the presence of any American soldiers in Latvia, as it greatly enhances our deterrence and provides a guarantee of our community. Whenever there is training, everyone asks about the place of the flag of the United States of America, and the US leadership is very calculated.”
Pudāns feels confident in Latvia's ability to perform close combat operations but looks forward to the United States for support in deep combat operations. He also expressed his satisfaction with Latvia's capabilities in electronic defense and the most prominent electronic defense as possible areas for bilateral cooperation in the future with the United States in the Baltic.
Major General Andros Merlo, commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, stressed the importance of improving Estonia's capabilities under Article 3 of the NATO Alliance.
“The United States on Earth is crucial for reliable deterrence and contributing directly to nuclear deterrence,” Marylo said. “Without them, Estonia's threat is getting more. The forces in Estonia are informally incorporated into our defenses, knowing that they will have to fight alongside us, if it is necessary to prepare while providing security.”
Marylo also discussed satisfaction and expressed his satisfaction with the integration of a high -movement artillery system, or hemmar with the American forces.
“HIMARS training has been almost completed, and we can start using it in our integrated defense,” said Merillo. “Himars has strengthened our ability to make deep strikes and will be fully combined into our training course. Partially joint fires have been achieved, and I see this is a successful example of future integration, including air missile defense options.
It also highlighted the Maryland State Partnership Program as a major element in bilateral cooperation.
A member of the Baltic Shiites College asks about a question during a briefing from the heads of Estonian defense, Al -Latf and Litani in Tartu, Estonia.
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During the visit, Major Seth Clot from the National Guard Maryland, who is currently a student at the Baltic College of Defense, was martyred with the unique global experience provided by the college. He stressed the importance of the curricula aligned in NATO in promoting mutual understanding among international partners.
He said: “The National Guard members rarely get international connections throughout the year outside the publishing operations, which makes this a really unique opportunity.”
The National Guard of Maryland and Estonia have been partners in the state partnership program since 1993, which strengthened the military capabilities in Estonia and enhancing cooperation between the United States. Klot highlighted the benefits of direct participation with senior government and military officials, which have provided valuable visions in strategic planning for defense and multinational operations important to the goals of the collective defense of NATO.
The United States contributed greatly to the Baltic College by providing faculty and students. Currently, there are two US military coaches, provided by the Security Assisting Organization for the US Army Security Command, who are studying the joint command course and public employees.
Lieutenant -Colonel Kevin Ryan, the first cohologist at the US Army War College at the Palace Defense College, attended the visit and shared his experience.
Ryan's research focuses on a long -term sustainability of the defense strategies for the Baltic countries. He attended many conferences and met experts on this topic. He was also present in the Civil Service and JCGSC course on various defense and leadership topics before the presence of HCSC, which started in January 2025.
“The overwhelming nature of this fellowship is enormous,” said Ryan. “I allowed me to experience the security challenges of the Baltic region and the eastern wing of NATO, which enriches my understanding of the strategic challenges in the region.”
In conclusion, participation confirmed the vital role of bilateral cooperation with the United States Army in enhancing the capabilities of security and regional defense. The presence of American trainers and students in the college and integrating advanced systems such as HIMARS highlights the continuous commitment to mutual defense and strategic cooperation. Certificates from Clot and Ryan show the deep impact of these partnerships on professional development and operational readiness. As the Baltic countries continue to enhance defense strategies and adhere to NATO principles, permanent cooperation with the United States army is still a cornerstone of regional stability and collective security.
