How different will the role of NATO ambassador be from your current position? On the surface, it seems both posts are primarily about convincing the Americans that Estonia is a strong military ally.

I should emphasize first that Estonia's ambassador to NATO remains Jüri Luik until the end of July this year, as this is part of a regular rotation. The work at NATO, I believe, will focus on three main strategic issues. If we look broadly at NATO's tasks in the coming years, I'd say first is how to deal with the increasingly aggressive posture of Russia through effective deterrence. Second is how to manage the gradual decline in U.S. attention and involvement in European defense. And third is how NATO can continue to function as the central organization guaranteeing European security.

That's the framework within which I believe the core of the work will take place. There are certainly similarities with my current role, but I would also say this position here is much broader in nature, even though 80 to 85 percent of it is likewise focused on ensuring security.

How would you assess Estonia's, and NATO allies' more broadly, understanding of the fact that American expectations for Europe have changed?

Estonia has definitely understood this. We've been aware for quite some time of what additional expectations the Americans have had for Europe. That's why not only is Estonia's defense spending as a share of GDP notable, but also the way we've spent on defense has been quite different from many other allies for years now. We've listened to the recommendations from various U.S. institutions — sometimes they've come as criticism and, in the case of Donald Trump, there was a lot of criticism — but we've acted not so much based on what the Americans have said, but rather based on our own security needs.

In your view, is the priority to maintain strong ties with the United States or to pursue Europe's military independence?

I don't think it's possible to say one can be done without the other. I believe it's extremely beneficial and necessary — for Estonia, for Europe more broadly and for the United States and Canada as North American allies — that the U.S. remains engaged in transatlantic security arrangements. That the U.S. maintains at least some critically necessary level of military capabilities in Europe.

At the same time, even if the U.S. were to make no further changes to its military presence in Europe today, increased European investment in defense would still be essential to fill the gaps that have developed over the years.

And given that the U.S. has made it very clear it intends to shift its geographical focus, this additional European contribution becomes even more urgent and it needs to carry even more weight.

What's your take on NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's recent statement that Europeans can only dream of being able to defend themselves? Do you think it's true?

The secretary general's statement was certainly forceful and colorful. Dreaming is something that ought to stay grounded in reality. The fact is that today, NATO's various deterrence and defense plans are largely built on the premise that the United States provides critical capabilities and additional forces when needed. That's not something Secretary General Rutte needs to go to the European Parliament to declare, nor is it some newly discovered truth — it's simply a fact.

If the question is whether Europe can take on a greater role in fulfilling those same plans and whether it must, I believe that's equally a fact.

So, while some may have interpreted Rutte's statement as provocative or even confrontational, I wouldn't describe it that way. I'm an optimist and having seen how NATO allies have come through different crises and managed to pull together in defense of shared interests, I certainly wouldn't reduce it all to mere dreaming.

Returning to your current position — what have you learned during these intense past few years that you'll apply in your new role?

You used the word "intense" or "intense years" and that's certainly been true for my colleagues, for the entire embassy and for many of our partners.

One thing that definitely didn't come as a surprise, but has been reinforced, is the fact that, these days, diplomatic work is in many ways also the work of a crisis manager. There are no fixed working hours, no fixed formats; there are only goals that need to be achieved. You need to keep a clear head — not jump at every noise, but also not sleep through key developments.

I believe that Estonia in recent years, not just in this city or at this embassy, but more broadly, has handled this well: being present and visible when important developments unfold, but not making noise over every move or every statement.

How much has the United States changed since you arrived here as ambassador in 2021?

My personal experience working with or in the United States as a diplomat actually goes back even further. My first posting here began in 2002. After a four-year break, I served again in Washington from 2010 to 2013. And most recently from 2021 to 2025. This current posting isn't over yet, so I'm sure there's still more to witness.

But the changes in the U.S. have been quite striking, especially compared to my first posting. If one can even speak of an "average" American perspective in such a diverse country, I'd say there's a bit less of the positive self-confidence that once prevailed. Specifically, confidence in whether the U.S., together with its partner countries, can always be the global force that helps bring about positive outcomes.

During this particular posting, the focus of issues and policies has certainly shifted. But I think the takeaway I'll carry with me when I leave in about half a year is this: the United States is a country worth standing with and it's a country worth relying on.

I do sometimes hear — perhaps too often — the quote often attributed to Churchill, that the U.S. always does the right thing, but only after exhausting all other options. Still, this country's 250-year history is far from over and I truly hope our cooperation with the United States continues for a long time to come.

Kristjan Prikk will become Estonia's new ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Brussels in the second half of the summer. Estonia's next ambassador to the United States has not yet been announced.

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