Alar Karis embarks on farewell whistle-stop tour of neighboring countries
President Alar Karis has set off on a round of official visits to Estonia's nearest neighboring allied countries ahead of leaving office next month.
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The head of state is being accompanied by
The head of state is being accompanied by First Lady Sirje Karis on the whistle-stop tour, which takes in Germany, Poland and Sweden, as well as Finland, Latvia and Lithuania.
The purpose is to thank the heads of
The purpose is to thank the heads of state in these lands for their close, trusting and friendly cooperation during Karis' term, which started in 2021, and to reaffirm these alliances for the future.
"In my role as head of state, I
"In my role as head of state, I have learned over the past five years that it is in the most difficult moments that you realize who your friends are and how much trust is worth," President Karis remarked.
"Estonia has been lucky: We are surrounded by
"Estonia has been lucky: We are surrounded by countries with which we have far more in common than just geography. We are united by shared values and security, a sense of responsibility for the future of our region, and a warm friendship that has developed over the years. Those values are held by people who know how to listen to one another and whose word you can trust. That is what I would like to express my gratitude for as my time in office comes to an end," the president went on via a press release.
Estonia is linked to all of the countries
Estonia is linked to all of the countries he will be visiting by close bilateral relations and everyday cooperation within the EU and NATO, as well as the additional links to Finland, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania via the Nordic-Baltic or NB8 cooperation, which is only growing in significance.
He underscored the role played in Europe's security
He underscored the role played in Europe's security by each of the countries he is visiting, as well as their contribution to strengthening NATO's eastern flank and their support for Ukraine, as well as the fruitful relations Estonia enjoys with them in the spheres of education, culture and the economy.
"Recent years have shown us just how important
"Recent years have shown us just how important it is to have friends and allies by your side with whom you share a common understanding of European security, freedom and a rules-based world order," the president continued. "Russia's aggression against Ukraine has boosted our cooperation even further, and brought the nations of the Baltic Sea region closer together than ever before."
The final round of visits really started at
The final round of visits really started at the end of August with an official visit to Latvia, hosted by President Edgars Rinkēvičs. This was followed by the 81st UN General Assembly in New York last week, which the president attended.
The presidential couple have already this week met
The presidential couple have already this week met with Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Mrs Elke Büdenbender in Berlin, followed on the Tuesday by trips to Warsaw, meeting President Karol Tadeusz Nawrocki and Marta Nawrocki, and to Lithuania, where they were received by President Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė in Vilnius.
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Alar Karis embarks on farewell whistle-stop tour of neighboring countries
President Alar Karis has set off on a round of official visits to Estonia's nearest neighboring allied countries ahead of leaving office next month.
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Source: ERR News