Estonia in France

1 November 2026 marks my final day as Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I leave with mixed emotions. Some melancholy, certainly. But above all, pride. Pride in what we have achieved, in the results we have delivered, and in the extraordinary team with whom I have had the privilege of working. From reinvigorating Estonian diplomacy despite the constraints of the pandemic to developing the strategy — and tactics — for countering Russian aggression, we have accomplished a lot. There were times when all of Europe was singing from our songbook. Not by accident or coincidence, but because the ideas and policy objectives we developed stood the test of scrutiny beyond Estonia. And because we had the skill and courage to shape the debate and set the agenda, even when the stakes — and the risks — were high. Alongside shaping policy, we also built something equally important: the institution itself. Today, the Foreign Ministry is among Estonia’s most dedicated public institutions. A place where people want to work — and stay. That is no small achievement. Professional diplomatic services are notoriously difficult organisations to manage, regardless of country. Constant rotation, changing teams and shifting responsibilities make leadership a particular challenge. I am therefore especially pleased that our colleagues have given the Ministry increasingly positive ratings in successive internal satisfaction surveys. I am equally proud that we have achieved near-perfect gender balance in our leadership. Proof that when we focus on getting things done rather than finding excuses, remarkable things are possible. Compared with six years ago, Estonian diplomacy now stands on a far more sustainable organisational, financial and technological footing. We have expanded our embassy network, purchased and renovated properties, and increasingly moved from renting to owning. Our embassies, residences and, with some qualifications, our headquarters now serve our diplomats better and tell Estonia’s story to the world. Our newest embassies are genuinely world-class, both in design and functionality. But diplomacy has never been confined to offices, conference rooms or embassy walls. Nor should it be. The photographs accompanying this post offer a glimpse of just how much of our work has taken place beyond them.

The @UN Commission of Inquiry on #Ukraine found in a new report that Russian authorities: ➡️ Committed crimes against humanity through attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ➡️ Trafficked foreign nationals to fight in their armed forces in Ukraine. 👉 bit.ly/4BqJhff