Gallery: Ratas meets with British prime minister
Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center) traveled to London for a short visit during which he met with British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Ratas' Tuesday visit to London was a standard visit in which the Estonian prime minister introduced Estonia's plans for the current presidency of the Council of the EU.
As of Tuesday, Ratas has met with the heads of government of nearly all EU member states.
Ratas told ERR's radio news that his meeting with May was very substantive. He explained that, on one hand, Estonia has very important defense cooperation with the U.K.
"I naturally thanked the prime minister and the U.K. for this cooperation in Tapa today, where British soldiers are stationed to ensure peace together with Estonian and French troops," said Ratas.
The two prime ministers also discussed the priorities of the Estonian EU presidency — including the digital and social fields and the economy.
"I was also pleased to invite Theresa May to Tallinn at the end of September, when a digital summit of European leaders will take place," Ratas noted. "She said that she took this invitation very seriously and hoped to come to Tallinn."
According to the Estonian prime minister, the two also discussed Brexit and what would happen after March 2019.
"We all understand that after Brexit, Europe will include both the U.K. and the other 27 member states," Ratas explained. "And actually, cooperation in ensuring our people's rights, economic and trade cooperation and naturally defense cooperation in the NATO dimension — these topics were also on the table today at this bilateral meeting."
Estonia's presidency of the Council of the EU began on July 1 and will run through the end of the year.
Editor: Aili Vahtla