Speaking on Estonia’s Independence Day (24 February), Estonia’s Ambassador to the US Eerik Marnei told the audience a bit about Estonia, including its embrace of electronic governance, and discussed Estonia’s foreign policy.  He said that Estonia’s foreign policy has “three pillars”: the transatlantic (the US and NATO); the EU; and Russia.  He explained that Estonia is very concerned about the security situation in Europe in the light of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.  Estonia sees Russia as trying to change the international system and trying to divide the EU and NATO, through propaganda and supporting political parties.  He contended that the security situation is “not just bad weather.  It is climate change.”  In this context, Ambassador Marnei said that US engagement is critical and that the European NATO members need to do more to provide for their own defense, as they agreed to do at the Wales summit.

The Ambassador’s talk was arranged by Estonia’s Honorary Consul in Atlanta and co-sponsored with the Atlanta Council on International Relations.