This week, on 16–17 December, Undersecretary for Economic and Development Affairs Mariin Ratnik visited Rome, where she met with Italian
Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral political and economic relations, supporting Ukraine, and discussing European security issues.
“Italy is an important partner for Estonia in the fields of economy, trade, tourism and security. For example, Italian fighter aircraft are currently participating in the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission at Ämari, contributing to the security of Estonia and the wider region,” Ratnik underlined. “We see several opportunities to deepen these relations further, particularly in developing mutual economic cooperation.”
Discussing the security situation, Ratnik stressed that the European Union’s support for Ukraine must remain unwavering. “Russia has not changed its objectives; instead, it has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian cities, civilians and critical infrastructure,” she noted. “This is why we must continue to support Ukraine comprehensively and implement measures that slow down Russia’s war machine – including adopting a strong 20th sanctions package that further restricts Russian fossil fuel exports and increases customs duties on Russian and Belarusian goods.”
Ratnik emphasised that the European Union now has a unique opportunity to demonstrate its long‑term commitment to Ukraine by agreeing on a reparations loan backed by Russia’s frozen assets, which would support both Ukraine’s security and its economy while delivering a painful blow to Russia. “The aggressor must be held accountable for its actions, and violations of international law must not become the norm,” she stressed.
On European defence capability, Deputy Secretary General Ratnik noted that the EU and its member states must remain focused on increasing defence spending and implementing cross‑European defence projects.
During the visit, Ratnik also met with Davide La Cecilia, the Italian Foreign Ministry’s Special Envoy for Ukraine’s Reconstruction. Their discussion centred on opportunities to deepen Estonian–Italian cooperation in development cooperation. “As Estonia will host the International Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2027, Italy’s experience and lessons learned from organising the 2025 conference will be invaluable,” Ratnik said.
As part of the visit, the Estonian Embassy also hosted an briefing for Italian journalists and think‑tank representatives to present Estonia’s current foreign policy positions.
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