Comparing Donald Trump's inauguration speech to his previous statements during his campaign and earlier presidency, it was less fiery, Vseviov said.

"When I was ambassador to the United States, I was given wise advice: take Trump seriously, but not always literally. One must observe both words and actions and then take a position. Even the American president must consider the world and not everything can be reshaped at will from the Oval Office," Vseviov said.

"Of course, we hope that Trump's core instinct to believe in strength and decisiveness will help us achieve faster progress in areas where we also seek resoluteness," he added.

According to Vseviov, Trump's respect can be earned through reasoned arguments, not flattery or inconsistency.

Vseviov declined to comment on Trump's remarks about Greenland and Canada.

"The issue must be dealt with when it arises. For now, he's been in office for only a few hours. On their first day, every U.S. president signs several executive orders. Most of these focus on immigration and the economy. If any of these decisions cause concern for us, we will address them with the Americans. There's no point in paralyzing ourselves with fear," Vseviov said.

Vseviov noted that Trump has not emphasized alliances with Europe and NATO as important to him, as this is not his style and these have not been priorities for him.

"However, he has highlighted that he made NATO stronger when NATO allies, spurred by his pressure, increased their defense spending. He took credit for this victory with pride and rightly so," said Vseviov.

Vseviov remarked that Estonians often take it for granted that Americans understand the importance of Europe and by extension Estonia.

"There's room for self-reflection here — have we communicated clearly enough what Estonia and Europe contribute to the world or to the U.S.? We need to improve," Vseviov said.

"Trump's relationships with many European countries were very strong during his previous term. Hopefully, Europe's newly changed leadership can establish similarly good relations. To achieve this, we must stand firmly on both feet, be confident, communicate clearly and demonstrate values that resonate with Trump, including strength. If Europe can act this way, we can overcome potential disagreements," he explained.

The United States could have done more and faster in the war in Ukraine, Vseviov said.

"This war will end when Vladimir Putin, or his successor in the Kremlin, realizes that the West is not about to pack up and leave. As long as there's hope that time works in his favor, the war will not end. Our goal is to achieve a lasting and just peace," he stated.

Vseviov added that he, like Trump, understands Putin. "Putin has described his worldview in his writings. We understand it, but we do not accept it, as he seeks to turn back time," Vseviov said.

"In the coming days, there will be intense consultations between European and American governments to deliberate both strategy and tactics on how to gain the upper hand. Estonia will do its utmost to present its ideas to influential Americans. Without the U.S., winning this war becomes significantly more difficult," he concluded.

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