Upon receiving the award, issued by the U.S.-based Renew Democracy Initiative (RD), Kallas said that the true value of freedom is often only appreciated when it is at risk of being taken away.

She said: "We are living in an historical moment where more people around the free world are waking up to the fact that freedom and democracy are not a given."

"Freedom is never free – you have to fight for it. Brave Ukrainians are teaching us this every day," Kallas went on, according to a Government Office press release.

The Heroes of Democracy Award recognizes the head of government and the people of Estonia as a whole in their bold stance in defending the free world in the face of Russian aggression.

The award was conferred at a gala ceremony held in New York City on Thursday evening.

The premier was not present, and Estonia's permanent representative to the UN, Rein Tammsaar, accepted the award on her behalf, while Kallas gave her acceptance speech via video link-up.

Honoured to receive the @Renew_Democracy Heroes of Democracy Award.

Freedom never comes for free – you have to fight for it.

At the times like these, we need to believe in our values and find the spirit of victory more than ever.

Brave Ukrainians teach us this every day. pic.twitter.com/NRbuXCmIog

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) April 5, 2024

The Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI) was founded in 2017 by chess grandmaster and noted dissident Garry Kasparov

Headquartered in the U.S., the RDI's stated aim is to fight autocracy worldwide.

The Heroes of Democracy awards were first presented in 2023, with previous recipients including Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.

The prime minister's full acceptance speech text is here, and video is here.

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