The Diplomat
His Majesty the King began a tour of the Baltic Countries yesterday in Tallinn (Estonia), without any minister accompanying him, which includes, in addition to Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Only in this last stage will the head of Defense, Margarita Robles, join.
It is usual for a minister to accompany the Monarch on his official visits, but the Government had not announced the presence of any of the Cabinet members on this tour, which had caused quite a bit of surprise in diplomatic circles.
In principle, given that a good part of the King’s stay in those countries will be occupied by the visit to the Spanish troops deployed there, it was thought that it should be the head of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, or the head of Defense, Margarita Robles, those who served as daily ministers with the Monarch.
Albares plans to attend this Monday the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU, in Luxembourg, while Robles’ agenda includes a visit in the morning to the Aeroevacuation Medical Unit of the Air Force at the air base of Torrejón de Ardoz.
From Moncloa it was reported that the functions of the so-called daily minister would be carried out by the chief of the Defense Staff, Admiral General Teodoro Esteban López Calderón, who has the rank of Secretary of State. However, due to a last-minute illness, the JEMAD was unable to travel and Don Felipe arrived in Tallinn accompanied only by the commander of the Operations Command, Lieutenant General Francisco Braco.
Finally, after the criticism received, the Robles Government decided that Margarita Robles accompany the King on the last day of his tour, in Latvia, where she will visit the Spanish troops stationed there.
Yesterday, the Monarch, after arriving at Tallinn airport, was received, with military honors, at the Kadriorg Palace, by the President of Estonia, Alar Karis. Both listened to the national anthems and reviewed the troops, after which they held a bilateral meeting.
Next, both leaders visited the amphibious aircraft carrier ship ‘Juan Carlos I’, which has participated in BALTOPS, NATO’s main exercise in the Baltic Sea. Afterwards, Don Felipe went to the Estonian Parliament, Riigikogu, where he was received by its president, Lauri Hussar, and in the evening, he attended a gala dinner in his honor offered by Alar Karis, at the Kadriorg Palace.
During his speech at the dinner, the King reiterated Spain’s commitment to the protection of the Baltic Countries, and specifically Estonia, confirming the deployment, in the coming weeks, of a NASAMS battery to reinforce its air defense against the threat. from neighboring Russia. “Spain may be at the other end of Europe but we also feel very close to you,” said Don Felipe, after stating that in our country the concern that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine generates in Estonia is very well understood.
This is the first visit that Felipe VI has made to the Baltic countries since his proclamation, ten years ago, and it is the third trip he has made to visit the Spanish troops deployed abroad during his reign, after the one made in 2015 to Lebanon. and that of 2019 to Iraq.
It had been fifteen years since a Spanish Monarch had traveled to this country, after the State visit carried out in May 2009 by King Juan Carlos I and King Sofia. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, visited Estonia in July 2021.
The Monarch will travel today to Lithuania, where he will hold a meeting with the President of the Republic, Gitanas Nauseda, attend the wreath laying at the memorial for those who died for independence in the Antakalnis cemetery and visit the Parliament of Lithuania (Seimas) . Pedro Sánchez was received by Gitanas Nauseda in July 2021 and traveled to this country in July 2023 for the NATO Summit. Additionally, he received the president of Lithuania in Madrid in May 2023.
The King will also visit the Vilkas Detachment of the Air and Space Army, which carries out air police missions in the Baltic and where he will hold a meeting with the Spanish contingent that participates in the NATO Baltic Air Police (BAP) mission. .
The Baltic Air Police began in 2004 after Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined NATO and, since then, four fighter aircraft from an allied country have been deployed in Siauliai for periods of four months. Spain participates in the mission continuously in 2004, with aerial means (F-18 and Eurofighter ‘Typhoon’ aircraft) and with nearly 150 military personnel.
The King’s official trip will conclude tomorrow in Latvia, where he will meet with the President of the Republic, Edgars Rinkevics, and attend the wreath-laying at the Freedom Monument. During his visit to Riga, the Monarch will also meet with the Prime Minister, Evika Silina, and visit the Parliament of Latvia (Saeima).
Pedro Sánchez has visited this country twice, in July 2021 and in March 2022, shortly after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and accompanied by the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.
Finally, before returning to Spain, the King will meet the Spanish contingent at the Adazi military base, within the NATO mission ‘Reinforced Forward Presence’ (eFP, in its acronym in English). Spain contributes to the mission with some 450 troops and means, such as the ‘Leopardo 2 E’ battle tanks and the ‘Pizarro’ Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV). It is the first time that Spain deploys this type of capabilities in a mission abroad. In addition, it also provides other mechanized means, such as the M-113 armored tracked transport (TOA), heavy mortars, Sapper combat vehicles (VCZ) and ‘Spike’ anti-tank missiles. Due to the situation created by the Russian invasion in Ukraine, Spain has decided to reinforce the contingent currently deployed in Latvia with 200 soldiers, bringing the total to 650 Spanish troops in the mission.
