"One of the key outcomes of this summit is that the NATO air policing mission will be transformed into a NATO air defense mission. This will significantly enhance Lithuania's air defense capabilities," said Nauseda. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told the publication "Postimees" that an ordinary person would not notice major changes. "The main difference lies in the details, specifically in the powers granted to the Supreme Commander of the NATO Allied Forces in Europe and the pilots. Of course, we cannot go into details, but now greater flexibility and shorter response times will be ensured," noted the minister. After the start of Russia's war in Ukraine, the Baltic States actively sought to transform the alliance's air policing mission into an air defense mission. This issue became even more relevant due to the increased incursions of military drones into the Baltic States. Initially, officials claimed that disoriented Ukrainian drones were entering EU countries due to Russian actions, but recently there have been growing opinions that Russia is deliberately directing Ukrainian drones into Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Finland. NATO fighter jets stationed in the Baltic States are currently escorting Russian military aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea and patrolling the alliance's border with Russia and Belarus. The NATO air policing mission in the Baltic States is conducted from Lithuania and Estonia.