# Estonia - United States Department of State

- Estonia HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Estonia				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Estonia																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																																																		f. Transnational Repression																																																																											g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																																											h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																											c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																											f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons																																																																											g. Stateless Persons																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																									Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption in Government																															Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																															Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				In June Estonia legalized same-sex marriage, amended the law to allow same-sex couples to adopt, and recognized the marriages of same-sex couples married abroad.There were no credible reports of significant human rights abuses.The government took credible steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were no reports the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings, during the year.																																				b. Disappearance										There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The constitution and law prohibited such practices, and there were no credible reports government officials employed them.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						There were no significant reports regarding prison or detention center conditions that raised human rights concerns.  In May and June, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment visited 22 police stations, prisons, jails, and other detention centers, but it did not publish its report by the end of the year.Administration:  Authorities conducted investigations of credible allegations of mistreatment.  There were no significant reports regarding prison or detention center conditions that raised human rights concerns.Independent Monitoring:  The government permitted monitoring by independent nongovernmental observers.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The constitution and law prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court.  The government generally observed these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						Arrests were made only when authorities possessed a warrant issued by a court or when persons were caught by police in the act of committing a crime.  Authorities respected the bail system and other alternatives for provisional release pending trial and did not hold individuals for more than 48 hours without charge.  The law provided that asylum seekers could be detained for more than 48 hours (up to two months) without charge only with the permission of an administrative court.  An administrative court could extend the term for detention of an asylum seeker by up to two months.  Detainees were entitled to immediate access to legal counsel, and the government paid for legal counsel for indigent persons.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The constitution provided for an independent judiciary, and the government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality.																Trial Procedures						The constitution and law provided for the right to a fair and public trial, and the judiciary generally enforced this right.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.																										f. Transnational Repression										Not applicable.																																				g. Property Seizure and Restitution										Not applicable.																																				h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The constitution and law prohibited such actions, and there were no reports the government failed to respect these prohibitions.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The constitution and law provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right.  An independent media, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for media members.  The law prohibited the public display of symbols relating to aggression, genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes that would support or justify these acts.  Reporters without Borders reported that access to information remained a problem and that privacy was often cited as a reason to block journalists’ freedom of information requests.																Internet Freedom						The government generally did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, except for restricting access to Russian state media and television.  In June the Supreme Court ruled that the Tallinn Detention Center for asylum seekers was not a prison intended for punishment and therefore it was illegal to deny access to the internet for persons detained there.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The constitution and law provided for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The constitution provided for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum:  The law provided for the granting of asylum or refugee status, and the government had a system for providing protection to refugees.Freedom of Movement:  The Estonian Human Rights Center raised concerns regarding the prolonged detention of asylum seekers while their cases were adjudicated.Durable Solutions:  The government offered naturalization to refugees residing on its territory and assisted in their voluntary return home.  Naturalization was possible for permanent residents after five years’ residence, provided they passed mandatory citizenship and language examinations.Temporary Protection:  The government provided temporary protection to approximately 80,000 individuals who did not qualify as refugees, including Ukrainian citizens.																																				f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons										Not applicable.																																				g. Stateless Persons										UNHCR categorized approximately 68,000 persons residing in the country as stateless, most of whom chose not to take any citizenship after the Soviet Union collapsed.  Stateless persons were eligible to apply for naturalized citizenship, as were all permanent residents of the country after five years’ residence, provided they passed the mandatory citizenship and language examinations.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																						The law provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.																										Elections and Political Participation										Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections:  Independent observers widely reported that national elections in March were fair and free of abuses and irregularities.Participation of Women and Members of Marginalized or Vulnerable Groups:  No laws limited participation of women or members of marginalized or vulnerable groups in the political process, and they did participate.  As of June, women accounted for only 28 percent of the country’s national legislature, but they comprised more than 40 percent of the cabinet.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption in Government												    																						The law criminalized corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively.  There were isolated reports of government corruption, but no officials were charged.Corruption:  The number of official corruption crimes reported in the first eight months of the year was approximately half that of the previous year.For additional information concerning corruption in the country, please see the Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement for the country, and the Department of State’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which includes information on financial crimes.																											Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																						Domestic and international human rights groups monitored and investigated human rights conditions and published their findings without government restriction.  Government officials were generally cooperative and responsive to the views of these groups.Government Human Rights Bodies:  The chancellor of justice performed the role of ombudsperson.  The chancellor reviewed legislation for compliance with the constitution, oversaw authorities’ observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the principles of good governance, and helped resolve accusations of discrimination.																											Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence:  The law criminalized rape and spousal rape, regardless of gender.  While laws criminalizing physical abuse included domestic violence, the country lacked legislation specifically addressing domestic violence.  The law was generally enforced.  The penalty for conviction of rape, including spousal rape, was imprisonment for up to 15 years.According to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and shelter managers, gender-based violence, including domestic violence, was a problem.  NGOs stated laws regarding rape and sexual violence were not based on consent alone but included preconditions such as violence or abuse.Discrimination:  The law provided the same legal status and rights for women as for men, and those laws were generally respected.  There were reports of discrimination in employment and occupation based on sex.Reproductive Rights:  There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.The government provided access to health-care services to afford women safe pregnancy and childbirth.  The government also provided access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services for survivors of sexual violence.  Emergency contraception and postexposure prophylaxis were provided as part of the clinical management of rape, and treatment of complications arising from abortion was available.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The constitution and law prohibited violence and discrimination against members of racial or ethnic minorities or minority groups.  The government generally enforced the law.There were isolated reports of Russian speakers facing discrimination in employment, reportedly based on ethnicity.  Some Russian speakers stated Estonian-language requirements resulted in job and salary discrimination.  The government continued to provide free and subsidized opportunities for learning Estonian.  Russian speakers worked disproportionately in blue-collar industries and continued to experience higher unemployment than Estonian speakers.The Police and Border Guard Board maintained a dedicated office to combat extremism that partnered with social support agencies to work with minority and religious groups.  The commissioner of the Office of Gender Equality and Equal Treatment reported implementing several campaigns to raise awareness regarding equal treatment of minorities.																																				Children										Child Abuse:  There were laws against child abuse, and the government generally enforced these laws.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage:  The legal minimum age for marriage was 18, and the law was effectively enforced.Sexual Exploitation of Children:  The law prohibited the commercial sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, and authorities enforced the law.  By law the minimum age for consensual sex was 16.  Engaging in child pornography was punishable by a fine or up to three years in prison.  Girls were more frequently exploited than boys.																																				Antisemitism										The Jewish community estimated 2,500 Jewish persons resided in the country.  On November 5, police arrested and initiated misdemeanor proceedings against five individuals for allegedly inciting international crimes against humanity by using the slogan, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” at a protest at Tallinn’s Freedom Square.  On November 8, local media reported that brochures allegedly containing antisemitic messages were left on cars in Tallinn’s city center, and on November 19, representatives of the Tartu Jewish Community discovered that a memorial to the former Tartu Synagogue was defaced with a swastika and the number “88,” which was associated with neo-Nazis.  Police opened investigations into both incidents.																																				Trafficking in Persons										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization:  There were no laws restricting consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, cross-dressing, or other sexual or gender characteristic-related behavior.Violence and Harassment:  Advocacy groups reported that societal harassment and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) persons remained common, but these groups noted improving public attitudes towards LGBTQI+ persons.  There were no reports of police or other government agents inciting, perpetrating, or tolerating such violence or harassment.  In June a man attacked a Finnish pastor at an Association of Gay Christians event, requiring the pastor to be hospitalized; police opened an investigation.Discrimination:  The law prohibited discrimination by state and nonstate actors based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.  The government generally enforced the law.  In June parliament adopted a law legalizing same-sex marriage; the law also recognized the marriages of same-sex couples married abroad.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition:  The government allowed individuals to change their gender identity marker on legal and identifying documents, subject to the approval of a committee of medical experts.  NGOs stated the process was difficult and time consuming.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices:  There were no reports of forced or involuntary “conversion therapy” practiced on adults or children to try to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.  There were no reports of surgeries performed on children or on nonconsenting adult intersex persons.There were no laws or statements by government or medical associations to limit the above practices.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly:  There were no laws or other restrictions on the ability of individuals to speak or media to report on LGBTQI+ matters, LGBTQI+ individuals to assemble in public or form associations, or LGBTQI+ organizations to legally register or convene events such as Pride festivities.																																				Persons with Disabilities										Persons with disabilities had access to education, health services, public buildings, and transportation, although not always on an equal basis with others.  The law mandated that newly constructed or renovated buildings be accessible to persons with disabilities, but most older buildings remained inaccessible.  Persons with disabilities could request government assistance accessing information, including personal assistance when necessary.  The government generally provided needed assistance.  NGOs noted that buildings and services were less accessible in rural areas than in large cities.  Government assistance also was less available in these areas.  There were isolated reports of discrimination against persons with disabilities in occupation and employment.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law, related regulations, and statutory instruments provided workers with the right to form and join independent unions of their choice, bargain collectively, and conduct legal strikes.  The law allowed unions to conduct activities without interference.  The law prohibited antiunion discrimination.  Both employees and employers had the right to request that labor dispute committees or the courts resolve individual labor disputes.The government generally enforced applicable laws protecting freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the right to strike.  Resources, inspections, and remediation were adequate to achieve compliance with the law.  In most cases violators incurred fines sufficient to deter violations.  Criminal proceedings and civil claims were also available, and penalties were commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights.  Penalties were regularly applied against violators.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										See the Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										The law prohibited the worst forms of child labor.  Children ages 15 to 17 could work, depending on their school enrollment status.  Children ages seven to 12 could engage in light work in the areas of culture, art, sports, or advertising with the consent of the Labor Inspectorate.  The government effectively enforced laws and policies to protect children from labor exploitation.  There were no confirmed reports during the year of the worst forms of child labor.																																				d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																														e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws:  The law provided for a national monthly minimum wage for all sectors that was higher than the poverty income level.The standard workweek was 40 hours.  The law required a rest period of at least 11 hours per 24-hour work period.  There was no prohibition against excessive compulsory overtime, except for children younger than 17.Violations of wage, hour, or overtime laws were most common in the construction and hospitality sectors.Occupational Safety and Health:  Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards were appropriate for the main industries in the country, and OSH experts proactively identified unsafe conditions.  Men experienced labor exploitation, particularly in the construction and hospitality sectors, where nontaxed cash payments were sometimes paid.  Workers could remove themselves from situations that endangered health or safety without jeopardizing their employment.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement:  The Labor Inspectorate, the Health Board, and the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority were responsible for enforcing wage, hour, and OSH standards and made efforts to do so in both the formal and informal sectors.  The government generally enforced labor laws in all sectors.  Inspectors had authority to make unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions.  The Labor Inspectorate reported employing 46 labor inspectors, 10 fewer than the International Labor Organization standard.  Penalties were commensurate with those for similar crimes such as fraud or negligence and were regularly applied against violators.  Tax and Customs Board research reported 4 percent of wage payments during the year were informal.  Informal wages were more common in the catering, industrial, construction, and commercial wholesale sector.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																				f. Transnational Repression																																																						g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																						h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																						c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																						f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons																																																						g. Stateless Persons																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																							Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption in Government																Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Estonia
- Assistant Secretary Pyatt’s Travel to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania; Leads U.S. Delegation to the 2024 Three Seas Initiative Office of the SpokespersonBureau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary Geoffrey R. Pyatt will travel April 8-12 to Tallinn, Estonia; Riga, Latvia; and Vilnius, Lithuania.  He will engage with senior interlocutors on regional energy security issues, including the Baltic states&#8217; swift progress de-coupling from Russian energy; continued support for Ukraine&#8217;s energy sector under the G7+ partnership in the face of brutal Russian attacks; cooperation to curb the energy revenues Russia uses to fund its war against Ukraine; and efforts to advance the energy transition and secure clean energy and critical mineral supply chains.On April 9, Assistant Secretary Pyatt will hold meetings in Tallinn, Estonia, with government counterparts and welcome Estonia’s new role in the Minerals Security Partnership.  He will meet with the Estonian Hydrogen Cluster, comprised of public and private industry working to advance the energy transition through development of the first nationwide &#8220;Hydrogen Valley,&#8221; to complete a hydrogen value chain in Estonia.Assistant Secretary Pyatt will then travel to Riga, Latvia to meet with President Rinkevics&#8217;s Advisors and other senior government officials.  He will also discuss energy security progress with senior management of Latvenergo, Conexus Baltic Grid, and AST, Latvia&#8217;s energy infrastructure companies.Finally, Assistant Secretary Pyatt will lead the U.S. delegation to the 2024 Three Seas Initiative (3SI) Summit and Business Forum, April 11 in Vilnius, Lithuania.  He will reinforce the importance of continued support to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the face of targeted Russian attacks.  Alongside key regional counterparts, he will discuss the critical role of the 3SI region in helping Europe diversify its energy routes and sources and develop future clean energy supply chains.  He will also highlight opportunities for 3SI countries to build further energy and infrastructure links with new partner-participants Ukraine and Moldova, as well as the Western Balkans.3SI aims to promote cooperation for the development of infrastructure in the energy, transport, and digital sectors.  It targets new investments, economic growth, and energy security, bringing together 13 countries located between the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic seas – Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, with Ukraine and Moldova as formal partners.For further media information, please contact ENR-PD-Clearances@state.gov.
- NATO Accession Anniversaries for Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia, Slovenia Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateOn behalf of the United States, I congratulate Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia on the 20th anniversary of your accession to NATO.Twenty years ago, as you became Allies, we were inspired by your journeys – from enduring bitter tyranny and occupation to earning your freedom through courage and perseverance. Today, we mark your steadfast commitment to defend every inch of NATO territory and to uphold our shared democratic values.From the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, across the Atlantic and the Adriatic, NATO is more united and capable than ever. On this important anniversary, we are proud to stand side-by-side with you as Allies defending our vision of the future.
- Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Karins, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Landsbergis HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Karins, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Landsbergis				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Karins, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Landsbergis																																		Readout																														March 25, 2024																																							The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis today in Washington, D.C.&nbsp; Secretary Blinken and the Baltic foreign ministers affirmed the strength of the NATO Alliance and its role in ensuring security and prosperity in Europe, noting in particular the importance of securing NATO’s eastern flank.&nbsp; The Secretary also congratulated the three foreign ministers on their upcoming 20th anniversary in the Alliance. &nbsp;The Secretary and the foreign ministers underlined that the United States, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania stand united in support of Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s aggression and are committed to holding Russia accountable.						Tags																					Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																																														Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy																															Estonia																								Latvia																								Lithuania																																North Atlantic Treaty Organization																															Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister KrišjāNis Kariņš, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis before Their Meeting HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister KrišjāNis Kariņš, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis before Their Meeting				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister KrišjāNis Kariņš, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis before Their Meeting																																		Remarks																														March 25, 2024																																							SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, good morning, everyone.&nbsp; It is a great pleasure to welcome my colleagues from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia here today – our close Baltic allies, our close Baltic partners.&nbsp;It’s very fitting that we come together today in a number of ways.&nbsp; We’ll be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their accession to NATO, something we very much look forward to, as we also have the 75th anniversary celebration of NATO itself coming up in Washington in just a few months’ time.&nbsp;But as important, these three allies have been leaders in NATO, contributing significantly to their defense budgets, leading the way in NATO, and also leading the way in support for Ukraine at a time when that support is absolutely vital.&nbsp; And I think it’s a recognition on the part of all three countries, as well as the United States, of what the stakes are when it comes to our support for Ukraine – stakes that go beyond even Ukraine itself and to the basic principle that people around the world and countries around the world deserve to chart their own futures, not have some other power try to do it for them.&nbsp;So it’s with gratitude that we have our partners here.&nbsp; We have a lot of work to do together, both in terms of sustaining support for Ukraine but also in continuing to plan out the future of the Alliance that joins us together – an Alliance that is now stronger and bigger than it was, and one that has a future over its next 75 years that will be as important as its first 75.&nbsp;So with that, let me turn it first, I think, to Gabrielius to get us started.&nbsp; My friend.&nbsp;FOREIGN MINISTER LANDSBERGIS:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you so much.&nbsp; It’s a great pleasure to be here and really to – and to use this – the opportunity to thank United States for decades of cooperation and decades of making Baltic states and Lithuania more safer and more secure.&nbsp;Today is also a date where we commemorate 75 years of sad history, because 75 years ago that Soviet Union started their mass deportations from the Baltic states, where tens of thousands – even hundreds of thousands – of our compatriots were deported to the wilderness of Siberia and had to spend their lives there.&nbsp; Many of them would not be able to return to their home countries.&nbsp;And this memory serves us and makes us better understand what we value today: the security, the safety, the prosperity that we managed to get through the decades, and also looking to the future so that it does not happen again – not in our countries, not in other countries that are fighting for their security and their freedom today, such as Ukraine, and Moldova looking for accession to EU, and Georgia that has been attacked in 2008.Thank you, Secretary.&nbsp;SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you.&nbsp; Margus.&nbsp;FOREIGN MINISTER TSAHKNA:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you.&nbsp; Thank you for receiving us.&nbsp; And as you mentioned as well, this week we are celebrating the 20 years of full membership of NATO.&nbsp; And I can say, I think very honestly, that probably without that membership we couldn’t stand here as three foreign minister of three independent countries, because Russia is not following the understanding of international law and rules.&nbsp; So we are very happy about this transatlantic relations, what we have, and our meeting will focus on that as well.&nbsp;But as our good friend Gabrielius said, today is a sad day.&nbsp; Thirty-five years ago, 100,000 of our people were deported, and exactly the same thing is going on in Ukraine at the moment when we are meeting.&nbsp; So it is very crucial that we will support Ukraine during the war, so that what we are doing all together.&nbsp; So thank you for listening.SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Krišjānis.FOREIGN MINISTER KARIŅŠ:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you very much, Tony.&nbsp; It’s a great pleasure to be here.&nbsp; The United States, Latvia, and the Baltic countries, we’re separated by very many kilometers.&nbsp; But we are deeply united in our basic values: freedom, democracy, the rule of law.&nbsp; And we see that our basic values that our societies share are being directly challenged around the world.&nbsp;Notably in our region, it’s Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.&nbsp; We’re going into the third year.&nbsp; And it’s up to us, with our combined efforts, with NATO’s combined efforts, to stand up against that and to not only say “this is bad,” but to make sure that that evil does not have a chance to spread.&nbsp; Deterrence, long term – a long-term strategy also with dealing with an aggressive Russia, this is what we have to strive towards.&nbsp; And it’s only by democracies and likeminded nations and societies working together that we can make the world a safer place.&nbsp;SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you.&nbsp; Thanks, everyone.&nbsp;						Tags																					Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Estonia																								Latvia																								Lithuania																																North Atlantic Treaty Organization																															Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State
- Under Secretary Fernandez Welcomes the Addition of Estonia to the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) and MSP Partners Announce the Creation of the Minerals Security Partnership Forum Office of the SpokespersonUnder Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez is attending the “Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC)” in Toronto, Canada. As Chair of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), he welcomed Estonia as the newest member of the MSP.&nbsp;With the addition of Estonia, the MSP now counts 14 countries and the EU as partners.&nbsp; Estonia is a key stakeholder and contributor in the production and processing of rare earths and is a welcome addition to the MSP.During the MSP high level principles meeting on March 3, MSP Partners announced the creation of the MSP Forum, which cements our partnership with select minerals producing countries committed to advancing and accelerating individual projects with&nbsp;high environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.&nbsp; The Forum will&nbsp;promote diverse and resilient supply chains, local value-addition and beneficiation.The MSP Forum&nbsp;provides a platform for Partners and Forum Members to discuss and advance both projects and policies that provide a more secure and sustainable supply of critical minerals with local&nbsp;beneficiation.&nbsp;The Project component of the MSP Forum may include, for example: project information sharing among MSP partners, Forum members, and the private sector, presentations on critical minerals opportunities, or geological survey and mapping requests, among other&nbsp;topics.The Policy Dialogue component of the MSP Forum will include topics such as policies to boost sustainable production and local capacities; discussions on regulatory cooperation to foster fair competition, transparency, and local value addition; policies to foster application of high ESG standards; and policies to promote and facilitate effective recycling. Learn more about the MSP at the webpage: https://www.state.gov/minerals-security-partnership/.To stay up to date, follow Under Secretary Fernandez on X: @State_E, LinkedIn: @State-E, and Facebook: @StateDeptE.For further media information, please contact E_Communications@state.gov.						Tags																					Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																																Energy																															Estonia																								Office of the Spokesperson																								Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
- Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to Canada Office of the SpokespersonUnder Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez will travel to Toronto, Canada, March 3-4. Under Secretary Fernandez will lead a third consecutive annual delegation of U.S. government officials who will participate in the “Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC)” and related side-events to advance the Biden Administration’s international efforts to increase the security of critical minerals supply chains.On March 4th, the Under Secretary will deliver remarks during Greenland Day, hosted by the Government of Greenland and the Greenland Business Association.  The Under Secretary will then co-host a high-level roundtable discussion for officials from countries that are part of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) and the private sector, alongside our Minerals Investment Network for Vital Energy Security and Transition (MINVEST) partner, SAFE.During his time in Toronto, he will also conduct bilateral discussions with Canadian and third country government and industry officials, and with MSP representatives. The Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) aims to accelerate the development of diverse and sustainable critical energy minerals supply chains through working with host governments and industry to facilitate targeted financial and diplomatic support for strategic projects along the value chain. MSP partners include Australia, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union (represented by the European Commission).Learn more about the MSP at the webpage: https://www.state.gov/minerals-security-partnership/, and our MINVEST partnership at: https://www.state.gov/minvest.To stay up to date, follow Under Secretary Fernandez on X: @State_E , LinkedIn: @State-E , and Facebook: @StateDeptE .For further media information, please contact E_Communications@state.gov.
- Estonia National Day Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateOn behalf of the United States, I extend my warmest congratulations to the people of Estonia as they celebrate their National Day.Estonia&#8217;s unwavering commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law continues to inspire us all. As we mark this significant occasion, we commend Estonia for its leadership in fostering innovation, economic prosperity, and security on the regional and global stage. The enduring friendship between the United States and Estonia is rooted in shared values and a commitment to freedom and democracy. The United States is proud to work hand-in-hand with Estonia to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, counter Russia’s aggression, and steadfastly support Ukraine.On this special day, we celebrate Estonia&#8217;s rich history, vibrant culture, and the resilience of its people. I look forward to many decades of continued partnership and friendship as Allies that will benefit our citizens and deepen our bilateral relationship. May the coming years bring continued prosperity, peace, and success to Estonia and its citizens.Congratulations on this happy occasion.
- Formalization of the Tallinn Mechanism to Coordinate Civilian Cyber Assistance to Ukraine Office of the SpokespersonAs endorsed by the U.S. Department of State and the Foreign Ministries of Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom on December 20, 2023, the Tallinn Mechanism has been officially formalized.As a result of Russia&#8217;s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, the Tallinn Mechanism, hereafter referred to as “the Mechanism,” aims to coordinate and facilitate civilian cyber capacity building to help Ukraine uphold its fundamental right to self-defense in cyberspace and address longer-term cyber resilience needs.The Mechanism’s lines of effort are intended to be separate, yet complementary, to military cyber capacity building efforts and other civilian efforts on cyber capacity building and digital development. The Mechanism aims to interface routinely with other donor initiatives around those efforts to coordinate and de-conflict.Collectively, the Mechanism’s members have contributed efforts to deliver cyber capacity building assistance to Ukraine. These contributions have been carried out with respect for international law and in full coordination with relevant Ukrainian counterparts.Members of the Mechanism intend to improve coordination and delivery of civilian cyber capacity building. Members intend to engage with the EU and NATO in this regard. Private sector and non-governmental actors are also encouraged to contribute to the Mechanism.						Tags																					Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy																								Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Canada																																														Cyber Issues																															Denmark																								Estonia																								France																								Germany																								Netherlands																								Office of the Spokesperson																								Poland																								Russia																								Sweden																								Ukraine																								United Kingdom
- Assistant Secretary Holmgren’s Travel to Estonia Office of the SpokespersonAssistant Secretary for Intelligence and Research (INR) Brett M. Holmgren will travel to Tallinn, Estonia, from November 7-8, 2023, to meet with senior intelligence, security, and diplomatic counterparts. The visit underscores the importance of the bilateral relationship and aims to exchange views and deepen intelligence and security cooperation on topics of shared interest.The Bureau of Intelligence and Research, an integral part of the U.S. Department of State, is one of 18 agencies in the U.S. intelligence community.