Ratas has phone meeting with US state secretary Mike Pompeo next week

Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center).
Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center). Source: Government Office

Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center) is due to speak to United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, by phone, next week, with discussion topics likely to be the Three Seas Initiative, bilateral relations and NATO.

Ratas confirmed the call would be going ahead "in the coming days" while appearing on ERR's "Otse uudistemajast" live politics discussion show on Tuesday.

A high-level U.S. representative at the Three Seas Initiative (3SI)  summit and business meeting, taking place in Tallinn October 19-20, was something the prime minister said he was keen on.

"I will certainly also suggest that he find a suitable time window for him or anyone at the summit to attend the Three Seas Summit," he said.

A government spokesperson told ERR that the call would likely take place in the second half of next week, though no firm date has yet been set.

Ratas noted on Tuesday's broadcast that it was unlikely that the incumbent U.S. president himself would attend the Three Seas Summit, given its close proximity to the presidential election there at the beginning of November.

"If this [summit] takes place on October 19-20, the question will be whether it will take place in person in Tallinn, or via a video live-link hosted in Tallinn. Looking at the coronavirus picture around the world today, that someone from the U.S. might take part in it, I would say yes, we are working towards that," Ratas added.

A Three Seas Summit spokesperson told ERR Thursday that the event's format would also be decided upon in the next few days, and announced next week.

The summit's organizing committee includes representatives from the president's office, the foreign ministry and the economic affairs and communications ministry.

Ten countries of the 12 who have joined the 3SI – the three seas being the Baltic, the Adriatic and the Black seas – are confirmed for the event, to be hosted by President Kersti Kaljulaid at the Kultuurikatel in Tallinn, at the time of writing.

The goal of the summit, put back from June due to the pandemic, is to promote cooperation in the sectors of energy, transport and digital infrastructure in the region.

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Editor: Andrew Whyte

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