If deterrence fails, the German-Dutch Corps will be ready to confront any adversary and defend Latvia and Estonia, the corps’ commander, Lieutenant General Peter Mirow, said on Tuesday during the NATO command transfer ceremony in the twin towns of Valka-Valga.
According to Mirow, deterrence is effective only when a potential adversary clearly sees the Allies’ readiness, unity and determination to act. He stressed that the corps’ mission will be to command the forces placed under its authority and, if necessary, defend NATO territory from the very first metre.
“There are no less important parts of NATO territory—an attack on one Ally is an attack on the entire Alliance,” Mirow said.
General Christopher Donahue, Commander of NATO Allied Land Command, said that transferring responsibility to the German-Dutch Corps creates a unified land command structure stretching from the Baltic region to the Mediterranean. This will strengthen continuous deterrence and enable an effective defence response in the event of a crisis or conflict.
He emphasised that the purpose of deterrence is to prevent the next war by being fully prepared to win it before it even begins.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius described the move as part of broader European military integration, with Allies deepening cooperation in both planning and operational activities. He said the new corps would strengthen NATO’s command structure on the Alliance’s eastern flank and improve its ability to coordinate military operations across the region, making NATO even better prepared to respond rapidly to any threat.
Dutch Defence Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz said that peace, freedom and open borders in Europe cannot be taken for granted but are historic achievements that can only be preserved if Allies remain prepared to defend them.
She also announced that the Netherlands will continue participating in NATO’s multinational battlegroup in Lithuania for at least another two years alongside troops from more than ten Allied nations.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur stressed that deterrence depends on credibility, while credibility depends on military capabilities, political will and, above all, the willingness to defend one another. He said all three elements must continue to be strengthened both nationally and across the Alliance.
Pevkur also referred to the recent NATO Summit decisions committing Allies to increase defence spending, noting that the command transfer demonstrates how those political commitments are being translated into concrete military capabilities.
Latvian Defence Minister Raivis Melnis said each country must provide the necessary forces, equipment and systems to strengthen defence and improve rapid-response capabilities.
He added that Russia remains a shared security challenge and that NATO Allies must continue transforming their armed forces to make them more modern, more effective and better prepared to respond to emerging threats.
During the ceremony, the German-Dutch Corps officially assumed tactical command responsibility for NATO land forces in Latvia and Estonia from the Multinational Corps Northeast.
The new command arrangement enters into force on 1 July.
The change strengthens NATO’s command capabilities, Allied presence and deterrence posture in the Baltic region.
It forms part of NATO’s new force model, which aims to maintain more Allied forces at higher readiness and ensure faster responses to potential threats.
Under its new responsibilities, the German-Dutch Corps will coordinate NATO and national land forces stationed in Latvia and Estonia. Its tasks will include directing military exercises, preparing forces for operations, regional defence planning and integrating Allied reinforcements when required. These responsibilities were previously carried out by the Multinational Corps Northeast.
The changes are part of NATO’s command structure reform adopted following the 2023 Vilnius Summit, designed to enable faster and more effective mobilisation of Allied forces. In a relatively short period, the German-Dutch Corps has established close professional cooperation with the Latvian National Armed Forces, demonstrating its ability to coordinate joint tasks in support of regional security.
The German-Dutch Corps is a high-readiness headquarters capable of commanding multinational forces of up to 50,000 troops during peacetime, crises or armed conflict. The headquarters previously led the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan and has repeatedly served as the headquarters of the NATO Response Force. Established in 1995, the corps is jointly operated by Germany and the Netherlands, with command rotating between the two nations. Germany will hold command until the beginning of 2028.
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