Skip to main menu 16.02.25 NEWS ... Discussions to loosen European Union spending rules to allow countries to invest in defense are underway in Brussels. But ICDS researcher Tony Lawrence said member states are still debating exactly where to find the money.
15.02.25 NEWS ... Although Russian attacks along the Ukraine front have eased somewhat, experts say there is no sign on the battlefield of preparations for peace talks. Even if negotiations were to begin, they would not immediately ease the war, as military success dictates leverage at the table.
15.02.25 NEWS ... The European Union Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu on Friday approved Estonia's positions on strengthening Europe's civilian and military readiness with amendments concerning Rail Baltica and Via Baltica as well as the protection of underwater infrastructure.
15.02.25 NEWS ... Speaking at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) on Friday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance spoke very little about the American peace plan for Ukraine, instead sharply criticizing Germany and Europe for restricting freedom of speech and democracy. Germany's defense minister called Vance's remarks unacceptable.
14.02.25 NEWS ... The United States could have done better than to have made concessions to Russia ahead of any potential peace negotiations between that country and Ukraine, Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said.
14.02.25 NEWS ... Europe must do more right now to provide Ukraine with certainty, including through upcoming military aid packages, Foreign Ministry Secretary General Jonatan Vseviov said on ETV's morning program "Terevisioon" while commenting on discussions taking place in Munich.
14.02.25 NEWS ... King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands made an official visit to Ämari air base on Thursday.
13.02.25 NEWS ... A court has upheld a key defense procurement decision, ruling that a company taking part in a field hospital tender made objections that lacked merit.
13.02.25 NEWS ... Isamaa party chairman Urmas Reinsalu believes that the statements made by the U.S. leadership on Wednesday regarding the end of the war in Ukraine are not encouraging. In light of this, he asserts that both Estonia and Europe as a whole must step up their efforts, taking a stronger stance both in terms of military armament and at the negotiating table.
13.02.25 NEWS ... The United States believes that after a peace agreement is reached, European troops should be deployed to ensure Ukraine's security. Meanwhile, Estonia is debating whether sending Estonian soldiers to Ukraine would be justified and how beneficial such a move would actually be.
13.02.25 NEWS ... Russia must not be given any advantage before negotiations with Ukraine begin, Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said in Brussels on Thursday after the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting.
13.02.25 OPINION ... If chef Vladimir Putin will be allowed to gulp down his colonial Ukraine omelet and gifted a box of fresh eggs to boot, this will only increase the Kremlin's motivation to try and restore spheres of influence in its near vicinity and the Baltic region. Donald Trump's brand on neo-colonialism seems to be downright conducive of these developments, writes security expert Meelis Oidsalu.
13.02.25 NEWS ... Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) said U.S. President Donald Trump cannot establish peace in Ukraine by sidelining Europe and Kyiv. If a deployment of NATO peacekeeping forces to Ukraine becomes reality, Estonia would certainly participate, he added.
13.02.25 NEWS ... Electricity system operator Elering has begun preparations for dismantling the power lines between Estonia and Russia. On Tuesday, the Tartu-Pskov power line was disconnected in southeastern Estonia, and by Wednesday, disconnection had reached the Narva Reservoir.
12.02.25 NEWS ... Russia is aiming to revive Soviet-era propaganda about the threat of a "nuclear winter" to instill fear into the Western public – especially the USA, the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service (EFIS) says in its newly published annual report.
12.02.25 NEWS ... Russia primarily uses nuclear threats to deter Western countries from supporting Ukraine and plans to revive the Soviet "nuclear winter" campaign later this year, the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service (EFIS) said in its annual report, published on Wednesday.
12.02.25 NEWS ... Russia's domestic drone industry and its development pose a threat to Estonia and other NATO countries, the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service (EFIS) said in its annual report, published on Wednesday.
12.02.25 NEWS ... Estonia's Foreign Intelligence Service releases its annual report today covering Russia, China and other threats. The top 10 points of the report identified by the agency are republished below.
11.02.25 NEWS ... A prestigious United States Army unit is now fully installed at the Reedo Base in South Estonia, where it has been deployed on rotation.
10.02.25 NEWS ... President Alar Karis has called on EU member states to halt energy imports from Russia and to consider imposing a full trade embargo on the aggressor state.
09.02.25 NEWS ... Energy sector workers "jumped for joy" on Sunday after Estonia successfully synchronized with the Continental European electricity grid, bringing almost 20 years of work to a close, said Elering CEO Kalle Kilk.
07.02.25 NEWS ... Russian publication "Agentstvo" reported that cars exported from the European Union to Minsk and Baku via Estonia have ended up in Russia through an Estonian company. The Tax and Customs Board (MTA) says various schemes are being used to circumvent sanctions, but efforts are being made to stop them.
06.02.25 TALLINN ... The Baltic states' departure from the shared electricity system with Russia and synchronization with the mainland European grid strengthens Estonia's security, said Kalle Kilk, chairman of the management board of Estonia's system operator Elering, in the lead up to the end of the almost two-decade long process.
05.02.25 NEWS ... If the capability targets set for Estonia align with those the country has proposed to NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), defense spending will need to rise to between 4 and 4.5 percent GDP by 2026 already, Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said Wednesday.
05.02.25 NEWS ... On Monday, parliamentary speakers from five countries and Ukraine's Ambassador to Estonia, held a public discussion in Tartu. Top of the agenda was how to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. They also discussed the potential impact of Donald Trump's return to the White House on both the war in Ukraine, and Europe more broadly.
05.02.25 NEWS ... Kristi Raik, director of the International Center for Defense and Security (ICDS), said Estonia and other countries in the region, which are heavily dependent on the United States for security, must find a new approach to foreign policy to maintain their alliance.
05.02.25 NEWS ... The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) can now monitor activities along the river border in real time after a renovated border guard station opened in Narva with a new surveillance and command center.
04.02.25 NEWS ... In its recently published cyber security yearbook, The Estonian Information System Authority (RIA) states that China poses a threat to Western countries with cyber-attacks, the creation of technological dependency and data collection. The Chinese intelligence services also have access to the personal data of Estonian citizens via Chinese-made technology and applications.
04.02.25 NEWS ... Aiming to improve clarity and oversight, Kaimo Kuusk, who took office as permanent secretary of Estonia's Ministry of Defense on September 1, is implementing some key changes to the structure and leadership of the ministry this spring.
04.02.25 NEWS ... Ministries are discussing whether and under what conditions to grant critical infrastructure operators the right to take down drones that violate flight restrictions. Currently, only a limited number of law enforcement agencies have the authority to intercept drones.
04.02.25 NEWS ... The trial of a man accused of treason and collaborating with foreign intelligence services started in Tartu on Monday.
03.02.25 NEWS ... Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) believes the European Union should agree on a common position to finance defense readiness by the NATO summit in June. Estonia is ready to discuss all options.
03.02.25 NEWS ... The Abbess of Kuremäe Convent Filareta Kalatšova sent an open letter to members of the Riigikogu, claiming that if the amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act, initiated by the Ministry of the Interior, are approved, the convent will effectively be shut down.
03.02.25 NEWS ... Russia is currently applying pressure along the whole front line in Ukraine, as even slow advances work in their favor while both sides await upcoming negotiations, said Estonian Defense Forces reserve Maj. Gen. Neeme Väli.
03.02.25 NEWS ... Ukraine's defense industry is increasingly capable of producing the necessary equipment for the war itself, security expert Rainer Saks believes. The Ukrainian army is currently stronger than it was in 2022 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, he added.
02.02.25 NEWS ... Ukraine's continued attacks on Russian oil infrastructure demonstrate its ability to carry out actions with global impact which could benefit the country during any future peace negotiations, experts said.
01.02.25 NEWS ... Norwegian authorities have released a Russian-crewed Norwegian cargo ship that had been suspected of recently damaging a Swedish-Latvian telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea. According to the police, no link to the incident was found.
31.01.25 NEWS ... U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised NATO's eastern member states, including Estonia, for their respective national defense contributions, while criticizing wealthy Western European countries that he claimed depend on the U.S. for security.
30.01.25 NEWS ... Estonia's security services have lost dozens of drones due to electronic interference coming from Russia and now plans to act. Last week, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) said it had established a five-kilometer-long "no-fly" zone along the eastern border.
30.01.25 NEWS ... The Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) have taken delivery of its first batch of French-made Camion Équipé d'un Système d'Artillerie (CAESAR) self-propelled artillery pieces, following a joint procurement with the French government.
29.01.25 NEWS ... Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) has floated the idea of a Baltic Sea shipping tax to fund the protection of undersea cables after a spate of breakages over the last 18 months, the Straits Times reported.
29.01.25 NEWS ... The District Prosecutor's Office for Economic Crime and Corruption has charged Henri Laupmaa, a former board member of the legal entity behind the donations platform toeta.me, with embezzlement on a large scale. Laupmaa had told donors that funds were being raised for Ukraine aid.
28.01.25 NEWS ... Security experts said more patrols are needed in the Baltic Sea after another cable was reportedly damaged on Sunday between Latvia and Sweden.
28.01.25 NEWS ... Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) on Monday made his first official visit to South Korea and said the two countries want to improve cooperation.
27.01.25 NEWS ... The European Union on Monday (January 27) imposed sanctions on three members of Russia's military intelligence (GRU), who conducted a cyberattack against Estonia in May 2020.
27.01.25 NEWS ... Travelers crossing from Estonia into Russia are caught trying to carry banned goods across the border every day, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) said. Euros, luxury goods, and spare car parts are confiscated regularly.
27.01.25 NEWS ... Estonia aims to increase defense spending to 5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2026, prioritizing critical capabilities such as ammunition while balancing delivery challenges and budget constraints.
26.01.25 NEWS ... The underwater optical cable of Latvia's State Radio and Television Center (LVRTC) was damaged in the Baltic Sea on Sunday morning, the center informed the LETA news agency. Estonia's politicians are in contact with their Latvian and Swedish counterparts.
26.01.25 NEWS ... Ukrainian long-range strikes against Russian infrastructure have become routine. Part of the reason is the preexisting knowledge of stationary targets. At the same time, temporary gathering points and command centers have also been hit. Analysts are discussing potential intelligence sources, particularly as Estonia is also acquiring weapons systems capable of striking beyond the horizon.
24.01.25 NEWS ... No country announcing plans to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP following Donald Trump taking office this week has an actual plan to implement it, and such statements should be avoided, Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi (Reform) said in an interview with ERR on Friday.