Tsahkna has criticized comments made by the president earlier this month supporting the proposition of a European Union envoy to the U.S. peace talks with Russia and Ukraine. The minister believes the idea should not even be discussed. Karis has said Estonia's foreign policy remains unified.

Speaking on Tuesday night's "Esimene stuudio," the minister said he has not yet met with Karis as both are currently busy with foreign visits. They may not meet before Independence Day on February 24.

Tsahknas said the differing views on foreign policy are not down to a lack of communication.

"The problem is that we cannot treat Estonia's foreign policy as an opportunity for this kind of academic reflection. We have a very clear foreign policy line, which has been developed in various forums and which, as I can say as a result of today's discussion, is backed by the entire Estonian people — practically all parties in the Riigikogu," the minister said.

He said the goal of Estonia's foreign policy is to pressure Russia and support Ukraine. The priority, Tsahkna said, is Ukraine's territorial integrity, and this is the cornerstone.

The minister believes Karis should implement foreign policy along the agreed line, which is usually set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Our goal is not to be a little more interesting or more exciting. And if we have disagreements, we have different formats in which we can argue them out clearly. But clarity of message outside Estonia internationally has been precisely one of the foundations of the foreign policy success of a small country like Estonia," he said.

Tsahkna does not think he overreacted to the president's remarks.

"That flood of inquiries that came in to me at the international level in particular, and also later, has been quite large, because people are used to hearing very clear, one-directional foreign policy messaging from us. And if the head of state thinks somewhat differently, then it must be commented on," he said.

The minister added that Estonia should now move forward with a unified and internally coordinated foreign policy.

He also said he did not take his critical stance to boost his own support among the public, which has been claimed by opposition politicians.

"I have heard all kinds of versions, and we are approaching elections — I mean the Riigikogu elections — but indeed our goal is to stand up for Estonia's interests at the international level. And I can admit that neither I nor the entire foreign diplomatic corps has any desire to explain internationally and answer the question of whether Estonia is in any way moving away from Ukraine," Tsahkna said.

Nuclear deterrence

Over the weekend, it was reported that Poland's president said the country should seek its own nuclear guarantees. Other European countries have made similar comments as relations with the U.S. have changed over the past year.

Tsahkna said Europe should not push away NATO-wide nuclear deterrence.

He added that, if necessary, Estonia would be ready to host an ally's nuclear weapon on its territory.

"Bringing a nuclear weapon here to our territory — we are not against it. We do not have a doctrine in which we have somehow ruled out, if NATO deems it necessary in accordance with our defense plans, the placement of a nuclear weapon, for example, on our territory," the minister said.

Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) made similar comments last summer.

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