Honored members of the Defense League, dear people of Rapla, friends of Estonia, and above all, beloved people of Estonia,

"Our country is not always perfect. But it is ours." That is what high‑level guests from Ukraine recently told me as they described their challenges and their fight for independence. But the same can be said about us — our Estonia is our own.

In everyday life we do not always think about this. At times the state may feel distant — governments, presidents, institutions. But there is no better moment than Victory Day to remind ourselves that Estonia is nothing more and nothing less than ours. It is our home, and each of us has only one. A home where the people are our own and where everything is shaped by our own hands.

I heard this idea of home again at this year's Spring Storm exercise, where both conscripts and reservists said they were taking part because they wanted to defend their home, in the broader sense of the word.

And if Estonia is ours, then the desire to protect it is only natural.

Dear people, it is understandable that we look with concern at the global security situation, where power politics threatens the independence of small states and self‑interest undermines the unity of allies. Naturally, people ask how we can cope with this. How can we look to the future with confidence?

The answer is worth seeking in what we have already achieved. And for that, we do not need to look far into the past.

I remember Estonia five years ago and how different it was from today. We experienced together how Russia's brutal war against Ukraine changed the course of our own country.

Over these five years, we have done things together that once seemed unthinkable. We have made Estonia's national defense dramatically stronger and more resilient.

With the agreement of all parties, we increased defense spending from two percent to five percent. It was not an easy decision, but it was a necessary one. With this funding, we have acquired essential weapons and ammunition and developed new military capabilities. We have strengthened our border, maritime security, and air defense.

Today we can say: Estonia does not seek confrontation. But we will not surrender our freedom to anyone. We will always defend ourselves.

It is not only Estonia that has become stronger. Our allies now see Russia the way we have always seen it. Finland and Sweden have joined NATO. The alliance has defense plans in place, and the British brigade knows Estonia's forests as well as many of us do.

I want to thank all the soldiers stationed permanently in Estonia from the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. I also thank the Italian and Portuguese air crews who safeguarded our airspace last year.

We have also strengthened our economic and energy security.

We ended our dependence on Russian energy and connected our electricity grid to continental Europe. Russia can no longer use energy to pressure or influence Estonia.

But national defense means more than that.

National defense also includes civil protection, crisis readiness, and the functioning of essential services. To achieve this, the Defense Forces, rescue services, police, local governments, businesses, and communities have joined their efforts.

And the more we talk about national defense, the stronger our readiness becomes. Even heated debate is a sign of strength in a free country. It shows that people care. That Estonia is ours.

Dear people, these are Estonia's achievements. These are the achievements of the Estonian people. And they were born from our shared will. They are based on shared responsibility, cooperation, and trust in one another — just like in any home.

This trust and cooperation are our greatest strength and our security guarantee. Our adversary does not have this kind of strength. We must preserve it. Time does not wait.

New challenges always lie ahead. Much work remains in developing unmanned systems and countermeasures, including together with Ukrainians. And beyond the usual threats, our adversaries will always surprise us with new and unexpected ones.

The need to be prepared does not disappear. The need for bold decisions does not disappear. But the past years have reminded us of what we are capable of. They have confirmed that our future is also our own.

Dear people, on this holiday it is fitting to emphasize that the heart of national defense is each person.

So let us thank all those who, in uniform, stand for Estonia's freedom and security — soldiers, Defense League members, police officers, border guards, and rescue workers. Those who carry direct responsibility for national defense.

But let us also thank those who stand for Estonia without a uniform — those who teach our children, build businesses, advance science and technology, keep essential services running, and help their communities in times of crisis. A home is not defended only by the one standing at the gate. A home is also defended by those who keep it warm.

Estonia's strength is born when everyone sees their part in national defense — when the willingness to defend goes hand in hand with the willingness to support, and when every person feels that Estonia belongs to them.

Dear people of Estonia, as your head of state I wish you, for the last time, a happy Victory Day and a joyful Midsummer's Eve. Let us protect and care for our families, our loved ones, and our home — in both the narrow and the broad sense.

Estonia is ours. And may it always remain free.

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