President Karis: Italy has made a significant contribution to regional security

Meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella today, President Alar Karis thanked Italy for its contribution to bolstering security in the Nordic-Baltic region and protecting Europe’s external borders as a whole.

“Both our countries defend Europe’s borders – Estonia in the east, Italy in the south – and both of us advocate for a united European response to hybrid threats and illegal immigration,” he remarked.

The head of state added that their two countries view the current security situation in the region in much the same way. “We are agreed that Russia poses a strategic threat, and that we must give our backing to Ukraine in defending its independence and maintaining the functioning of its society in wartime,” he said.

Italy has taken part in the Ämari air policing mission on three occasions, with Italian fighter jets most recently defending Baltic airspace last autumn. Italy is also contributing to the development of the SAMP/T air defence system, as well as to NATO’s presence in the region through the deployment of its troops in Latvia.

In addition to security and defence cooperation, Presidents Karis and Mattarella discussed the fostering of cultural, educational and economic ties, as well as bilateral development projects in the fields of digital technology, cybersecurity and AI.

The Estonian and Italian heads of state previously met in Rome in April 2025, and again in Tallinn at the end of the year as part of the Arriaolos Group meeting of European heads of state. Gallery (Raigo Pajula/Office of the President): https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD427F