"You must not lose your nerve. One vote at the United Nations [General Assembly session] and one meeting in the Oval Office [at the White House] do not warrant far-reaching conclusions," President Alar Karis said in an interview.

"Cooperation with the United States is important for Europe and certainly vice versa. However, we must also take into account the possibility of having to manage on our own," Karis added.

When asked whether Donald Trump is a friend of Estonia, Karis replied, "I doubt he is an enemy of Estonia. Friendship is also a very flexible concept. Not just Estonia, but Europe as a whole should aim not for friendship with the United States, but simply for very good relations. The transatlantic relationship is important for both sides."

Speaking about U.S.-European relations, Karis referenced Vice President JD Vance's speech at the Munich Security Conference. "It is not pleasant to listen to. But we have let things reach a point where we are being treated this way. I don't know whether there is a larger theory behind Trump's behavior. We must keep our eyes open. We must act. Playing dead may help with a bear, but not otherwise," he said.

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