Estonia to hold regular National Defense Council meetings
Until now, the meetings of the National Defense Council have taken place ad hoc at the president's invitation, but the next Estonian president, Ülle Madise, wants to make the institution's work systematic, said future presidential adviser Taimar Peterkop.
Madise aims to organize regular meetings of the National Defense Council and, after taking office, will hire former Secretary of State Peterkop as the Council's adviser.
"I am very pleased that Taimar Peterkop agreed to take on the substantive preparation and organization of the National Defense Council's work. Taimar Peterkop knows broad‑based national defense both theoretically and practically, understands the importance of dignified human relations and of forward‑looking, determined and persistent joint action," Madise said in a press release.
According to the Constitution of Estonia, the President of the Republic is the highest leader of national defense, and the National Defense Council is an advisory body to the president.
The council provides an opportunity to bring together representatives of the president, parliament, government and defense forces to discuss national defense issues and helps shape a comprehensive view of the country's security.
"Times and circumstances require greater attention from those responsible for security so that confidence prevails in society. National defense means not only military defense but also the development of broad‑based national defense, and therefore I see the need to make the council's work more regular and consistent. Involving an adviser will help organize the council's work better and more substantively," Madise noted.
"I greatly appreciate the invitation from the future president to join her team. In this role I can apply my knowledge and experience in preparing for crises and resolving them, and thereby contribute to Estonia's ability to withstand crises in a tense geopolitical environment," Peterkop said in the press release.
Peterkop served as Secretary of State from 2018 to 2025 and before that, from 2015 to 2018, as Director General of the Information System Authority (RIA). Previously he worked at the Ministry of Defense as deputy permanent secretary and as a defense policy adviser at the Estonian Embassy in Washington. Peterkop currently works at the e‑Governance Academy as a senior expert in cybersecurity.
Peterkop graduated from the University of Tartu Faculty of Law and earned a master's degree in strategic leadership from the U.S. Army War College.
Estonia's next president Ülle Madise will take office on 12 October, giving the oath before the Riigikogu.
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Editor: Mait Ots, Argo Ideon
