The prime minister was speaking at a reception Tuesday for EDF members who have served on international military operations, including the recently concluded Combined Joint Task Force — Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) in Iraq.

"It is an honor to welcome you back to Estonia," the prime minister said at the reception, held in the Estonian Knighthood Building on Toompea.

"You are the gold standard of the EDF — professional, reliable, and valued in the eyes of our allies and the entire international community," he went on, stressing that service on foreign missions is just as much a direct contribution to Estonia's own defense as it is a contribution to global security.

"In today's world, there is never too much security. Your work in the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, Iraq or Mozambique has helped prevent conflicts from reaching here, to our doorstep. Your dedication strengthens Estonia's defense capability every day."

The security environment remains challenging despite that, he noted. "The war in Europe has now been ongoing for a fourth year, and achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine is hard. Conflicts in Iraq and across the Africa region have not disappeared either. For this reason, we are significantly increasing Estonia's military readiness — soon our defense spending will rise to more than 5 percent of GDP," he noted.

Estonia is safer thanks to the men and women who serve on international missions.
Today I welcomed home our soldiers who have strengthened security from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, Iraq and Mozambique.
Your professionalism is Estonia's gold standard. Aitäh teile! pic.twitter.com/Oql6hqQ3Mu

— Kristen Michal (@KristenMichalPM) December 2, 2025

The head of government also thanked the families and friends of the soldiers, noting that service far from home rests just as much upon their support and understanding.

Defense League (Kaitseliit) commander Major General Ilmar Tamm and company commander Capt. Mart Voolaid also spoke at the event.

As well as OIR, the soldiers present had served in NATO's Brilliant Shield, a maritime exercise in the North Atlantic and Baltic which took place this year; NATO Mission Iraq; the EU Naval Operation Aspides, in the Red Sea; the European Union Training Mission in Mozambique, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Estonia ended its contribution to the U.S.-led OIR on September 1 this year, ending the EDF's largest overseas foreign mission to date. Up to 110 personnel had been involved at any one time since April 2023, and smaller numbers of EDF members had been deployed with OIR for nearly a decade. Estonia provided military advisors, a support unit, and an infantry company from the Scouts Battalion. The latter offered close protection, security during movements and visits, and rapid response, and was based near the Erbil airbase, in Kurdistan.

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