Tsahkna made his remarks while on an official visit to Israel Tuesday.

He gave a joint press conference Tuesday alongside his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, where deepening cooperation in the economy, IT, and defense were all on the table.

"Estonia and Israeli people, we are very like minded. We are small, I can say, by maybe figures, but not by the spirit of freedom and this is very important, but also it is maybe a well hidden fact that Estonia was the first country in the world that one hundred years exactly ago declared the cultural autonomy for Jewish people; we are well known that your people in Estonia, they are well kept, they are part of our society, and they are safe."

Estonia has learned a great deal from Israel's comprehensive defense concept too, the minister went on.

"Unfortunately, we have a very bad neighbor, Russia. We have been living there like 10,000 years, and we have planned for another 10,000 years. But we have many things to cooperate and also learn from each other," the foreign minister continued.

Estonia stands firmly for long-term stability in the Middle East, and my visit to Israel today, amid active conflict, reflects this commitment.

Meeting Foreign Minister @gidonsaar in Jerusalem, I stressed that we recognise the serious threats posed by Iran, including its… pic.twitter.com/J9b9XD9jEl

— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) March 17, 2026

Tsahkna stressed that cooperation and the opening of the Israeli embassy in Tallinn have further deepened relations between the two countries. "In the name of the Estonian people, I state that this great relationship and friendship will last forever" Tsahkna added.

Saar thanked Tsahkna for having made a solidarity visit to Israel at a time of military conflict, and recalled just four months ago he opened the Israeli embassy in Tallinn.

"We look forward to continuing the momentum in 2026. I admire the abilities of the people of Estonia in innovation, what you achieved in digital services for your citizens," Saar noted.

The Iranian regime is the number one source of instability both in his region and globally, Saar noted. Its activities directly affect European security, he went on, noting Iran's role in sharing intelligence and weapons with Russia.

Iran-backed groups threaten international shipping both in the Red Sea and in the Strait of Hormuz, Saar went on, adding that if a strategy like that were to succeed, other regimes elsewhere might act similarly in the future.

"The Houthis, an Iranian proxy, cripples the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. Now, the Iranian regime is blocking international shipping and the flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.

"If this strategy is successful, tomorrow other regimes can act the same way in other places. It can become the problem of the Baltic, Black or Mediterranean seas. If Iranian piracy in the Strait of Hormuz isn't crushed, this form of terror will spread around the world."

Israel seeks to strengthen cooperation with Estonia in the economic sector as well as in defense, and also sees opportunities for cooperation in technology, Saar noted.

"Israeli technology and defense products are the finest in the world. They're proving themselves today on offense and defense. Israel has much to offer, as does Estonia, the world leader in e-governance," said the Israeli foreign minister.

The two foreign ministers also discussed the situation in Gaza and Lebanon as well as developments in the West Bank, including settler violence and incidents.

"Ultimately lasting peace and security require progress towards a two-state solution allowing Israel and Palestine to live side-by-side in peace and security. Estonia stands ready to contribute to and strengthen the European Union's dialog with Israel, the Palestinians, and all those in the region willing to play a constructive role."

The full press conference can be watched by clicking on the video player above.

Tsahkna: Estonia prepared to consider possible Strait of Hormuz contribution

Tsahkna said Tuesday that Estonia is ready to discuss how it can contribute to the U.S.' mission in the Strait of Hormuz, if an official request were made by Washington. This comes at a time of surging oil prices following Iran's effective shutdown of the world's busiest oil shipping channel to tankers, following the U.S.-Israeli strikes which began on Iran at the end of February.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called on allies to send warships to the Gulf region to help protect the shipping channel, but some allies, including the U.K. and Germany have ruled out providing such assistance at this time. It is not at this point clear what type of aid Tallinn might be able to offer. Iran itself has threatened to retaliate against any ships it considers linked to the U.S.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!