There has been no U.S. ambassador in Estonia since January, after George P. Kent left the role when the Biden administration left office.

Pipko, an Estonian-born lawyer, was confirmed as ambassador last month. He handed over his credentials to Karis on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the president emphasized the strong relations between Estonia and the United States and asked that greetings be conveyed to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Karis said the presence of U.S. military personnel is crucial to the security of the Baltic region and is "a credible deterrent and a clear message to anyone seeking to undermine the region's security."

He said that Estonia provides the best possible conditions for allied units and recalled his meetings with U.S. troops stationed in Estonia, who greatly value the local training opportunities.

Karis and Pipko also discussed broader Estonia–U.S. cooperation, NATO, and European security. Any peace in Ukraine, Karis stressed, must be just and lasting.

Minister: Long-standing alliance and friendship 

Tsahkna and Roman Pipko discussed bilateral relations and future cooperation potential, transatlantic security issues, and achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, a statement from the ministry said.

"Estonia and the United States share a long-standing alliance and friendship built on strong foundations. We are grateful for the U.S. contribution to strengthening security on NATO's eastern flank, demonstrated by the rotational presence of troops in Estonia," Tsahkna was quoted as saying.

"Transatlantic cooperation has ensured security and economic prosperity in both Europe and the United States for decades, and we continue our daily work to strengthen the alliance," he added.

Discussing Russia's aggression against Ukraine and U.S. efforts to end it, Tsahkna stressed that Estonia supports all efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace.

"Peace will be just and lasting if it is based on international law, above all the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty," the minister said.

Estonia a 'model partner' to the U.S.

In his opening address at his nomination hearing before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in June, Pipko described how he came to the U.S. in 1981 "as a poor refugee from the oppressive regime of the former Soviet Union," noting that over the decades to follow, the U.S. has provided him with "unimaginable opportunities."

He thanked President Trump, U.S. politicians, including both Republicans and Democrats, as well as his family — including his late father and father-in-law, his mother, who made "heroic efforts" to bring him to the U.S., and his wife and three children.

"Finally, I also want to thank Estonia and its many people for all they have done for my family and for me when I lived there, in order to prepare me for this improbable journey," he added.

Pipko noted that, if confirmed, he will be returning as U.S. ambassador to the country of his birth, which he described as having made "tremendous strides" in the last few decades.

He noted that Estonia is one of the smallest members of the European Union and NATO, but is a "true leader" in two of the most critical areas singled out by the current U.S. administration.

"First, defense spending," Pipko began, noting that he supports President Trump's unprecedented efforts to bring peace to Europe.

"Estonia has always been a reliable and steadfast ally of the United States," he emphasized. "Its soldiers participated shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. troops in operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries. Estonia invests in U.S. equipment and hosts U.S. forces on its territory. And now — in response to the request by the Trump administration — it has already committed to spend approximately 5.4 percent of its GDP annually on military expenditures. It is a historic undertaking by Estonia, and makes it a model partner of the United States, as recently recognized by the secretary of state and the secretary of defense."

The second metric emphasized by the Trump administration, he continued, is openness of the country's market for trade and investment. Pipko cited The Wall Street Journal and Heritage Foundation's 2025 Index of Economic Freedom, which ranked Estonia fifth in Europe and eighth overall for economic freedom.

"These are unparalleled achievements and make Estonia an exemplary partner of the United States," he highlighted.

This article was updated to add comments from President Alar Karis and photographs from the meeting.

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