This year’s NATO summit, held in Madrid on Tuesday and Wednesday, offers Estonia a critical opportunity. Namely, the chance to make a strong case for a permanent NATO base to be established on its territory.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas recently warned that a Russian invasion of her nation would see Estonia “wiped off the map.” Estonia shares a nearly 300-kilometer border with Russia and is a short drive from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s home city of St. Petersburg. It’s a small country, not even twice the size of Maryland.