President Kersti Kaljulaid on official visit to Germany
President Kersti Kaljulaid is in Germany today, Monday, on the second day of a three-day official visit to Berlin, marking the 100th anniversary of the Estonian embassy. The visit is the first by a visiting head of state to Germany following the coronavirus pandemic.
The president's foreign policy adviser Lauri Kuusing said: "The visit celebrates the first century of the Estonian embassy and … the diplomatic relations between the two countries. The visit by the Estonian head of state is also the first official visit that Germany is hosting after the reopening of its borders, and it demonstrates how special our relationship is."
Kaljulaid wrote on her social media account on Sunday: "My official visit to Germany has begun. Just as it is for me, the first foreign visit since the coronavirus crisis, so it is also the first high-level visit that Germany has had.
"This is also about the strong and special relationship between our two countries, which we will celebrate tomorrow together with the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank Walter Steinmeier at the Estonian Embassy in Berlin, on the its 100th birthday."
The president was in the southeastern city of Dresden as her first port of call, on Sunday, meeting Minister-President of Saxony Michael Kretschmer. The president also visited Estonian ultra-capacitor firm Skeleton Technologies' plant while in the region.
Visited @skel_tech factory in #Sachsen #Germany - company where Estonian???????? #IT meets German engineering. Outcome is a no1 #ultracapacitator in the world which helps to save energy, but more important - helps to save our planet????. Good luck @tmadiberk and your whole team! #EstGer pic.twitter.com/onqWc999Mr
— Kersti Kaljulaid (@KerstiKaljulaid) June 28, 2020
Lauri Kuusing added: "Germany is Europe's engine and, being also the next holder of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, it plays an important role in making certain that Europe is able to successfully leave behind the crisis caused by the coronavirus. Clearly, Europe needs to be united here and it is more important than ever before."
The president will also discuss security on the Eastern flank of NATO and the upcoming Three Seas summit in Estonia in October – which Germany's Federal President has been invited to – with thinktank Körber Stiftung, and is to give interviews to national daily DieWelt and to public broadcaster ZDF.
Kaljulaid will return to Estonia on Tuesday evening.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
