Estonian parlt committee delegation discussing security issues in US

TALLINN - A delegation of the foreign affairs committee of the Estonian parliament is visiting the United States, where the focus of scheduled meetings will be on deepening strategic cooperation between Estonia and its allies and solid support for the protection of Ukraine's independence, territorial integrity, and security.

Committee chairman Marko Mihkelson said that the main goal of the visit is to strengthen Estonian-US security cooperation and reaffirm the importance of the US's permanent presence on NATO's eastern flank.

"Ukraine's victory is of decisive importance for the security of both Estonia and the entire West. A united and strong allied space, where the US continues to be a solid pillar, is our surest guarantee for repelling further Russian aggression. This is a clear message to the adversary: we stand united and steadfastly for our values and freedom," Mihkelson added.

The delegation will meet with members of the US Congress, including chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Brian Mast, during the visit that will last until Thursday. The MPs will also meet with the heads of the US State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, representatives of think tanks, and the Estonian community in the US.

In addition, the delegation of the foreign affairs committee will participate in a roundtable organized by the Estonian embassy, where the topic of increasing NATO countries' defense spending and contribution to cybersecurity, as well as lessons from Ukraine and transatlantic cooperation will be discussed. The roundtable will also include former and current US government officials, as well as representatives of think tanks and the private sector.

In addition to Mihkelson, the foreign affairs committee delegation also includes committee members Luisa Rõivas and Henn Põlluaas.