Today, 24 August, the Conference of Heads of Estonian Missions began in Tallinn, bringing together the heads of Estonia’s embassies and missions from around the world. In his opening address, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna thanked the ambassadors for their dedication and for safeguarding Estonia’s security, prosperity and interests. The Foreign Minister also outlined Estonia’s priorities for the upcoming foreign policy season.
The Foreign Minister began his opening address by focusing on Ukraine. “Today, we see little movement towards peace negotiations while hostilities remain intense – but the situation could change at any moment. The collapse of the Soviet Union also showed us that historic turning points do happen, but unpredictably. At the same time, we are constantly reminded that Russia has no interest in peace: Putin continues to exploit fears of escalation and persistently tests the West. The hybrid attacks against Estonia and other Western countries are a clear example of this. At this decisive yet unpredictable moment in history, Estonia has a duty to be a voice of principle in both the European Union and NATO, because shaping the future of Europe is in our own hands,” Tsahkna said.
“We must do everything we can to secure Ukraine’s future in the European Union and NATO, and Estonia’s foreign policy must never be so cautious that it only ends up on the right side of history after history has already made the decision,” Tsahkna said. He added that Estonia would remain focused on providing comprehensive support to Ukraine and increasing the cost of Russia’s aggression.
“It is extremely important for Estonia that the world operates in accordance with the UN Charter and the rules-based international order. Our ambassadors have a significant role to play in this, and in today’s difficult global security environment, we must continue to stand up for Estonia’s interests. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is not only about Ukraine’s future; it will also determine the future of Europe’s security architecture. We must therefore continue to increase pressure on Russia to end the war,” Tsahkna said, adding that Estonia’s foreign policy objective is a Ukrainian victory and a just peace in Ukraine.
The Foreign Minister also spoke about preparations for the Ukraine Recovery Conference on 28–29 January 2027 and about strengthening Nordic-Baltic cooperation (NB8), which is currently Estonia’s most important foreign policy cooperation format. In his opening address, Tsahkna also discussed business diplomacy and support for Estonian companies entering and operating in foreign markets.
The Conference of Heads of Missions includes a number of discussions on foreign and security policy as well as economic and energy issues. The heads of missions also attended the flag-raising ceremony marking Ukraine’s Independence Day and will take part in the Export Club, where they will meet businesses interested in exporting to foreign markets. The heads of missions will also visit Finland. Speakers addressing the ambassadors include Prime Minister Kristen Michal, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.
Estonia has a total of 47 missions abroad and 214 honorary consuls around the world. This year, Estonia opened embassies in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, and Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Official openings are also planned this year for Estonia’s embassies in Chișinău, Moldova; Brasília, Brazil; and Nairobi, Kenya.
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