TALLINN, Estonia – Sen. John McCain has pledged U.S. support to the security of Russia’s three Baltic neighbors amid worries that the U.S. may not be fully committed to the defense of NATO allies following statements by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. He added that Washington should consider basing troops permanently at least in Estonia.

McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says that while Washington remains committed to “strong” NATO operations, bilateral U.S.-Estonian military cooperation could be made more effective by upgrading U.S. troop status from less-than-a-year rotation to permanent.