“Spain is a valued partner to Estonia in the European Union and a close ally in NATO – Spanish fighter jets have often patrolled our air space from our base in Ämari,” remarked Lauri Kuusing, Foreign Policy Adviser to the President. “But if we want allies who are geographically distanced from us to continue to understand the security threats our region faces and the way we see things, we have to take an interest in and understand what matters to them as well. Security is inalienable, and establishing it everywhere that NATO operates is something we need to ensure we are doing.”
In Madrid on Monday, President Kaljulaid will be meeting with King Felipe VI, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Speaker of the Congress of Deputies Meritxell Batet and Foreign Minister María Aránzazu González Laya. The head of state will be taking part in a roundtable at the Royal Elcano Institute dedicated to foreign and security policy in the post-pandemic world, laying a wreath on the grave of Estonia’s first ambassador to Spain Karl Robert Pusta, opening an outdoor exhibition showcasing Estonian street photography and giving interviews to major Spanish publications.
Spanish de iure recognition of Estonia’s independence came on 8 March 1921. As such, Monday will mark a hundred years since the start of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The one-day working trip will be President Kaljulaid’s first visit to Spain. The head of state will be returning to Estonia on Tuesday.
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