Politics & Society

This new year is off to a turbulent start: from the roller coaster ride of tariffs and national economy to the U.S. strikes in Venezuela on January 3 and Iran on February 28, and rapidly rising gasoline prices. Russia’s war against Ukraine grinds on. The winter there was extremely difficult,...

We hereby announce the upcoming election for EANC’s XXIV Council. If you are an Estonian American interested in sharing your experience, representing your fellow Estonian Americans, and making a meaningful impact, consider a run for the Estonian American National Council (Eesti Rahvuskomitee Ühendriikides, ERKÜ). Council members are elected for a...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, January 15, representatives of the Central & East European Coalition (CEEC) met with the offices of five key members of Congress to discuss critical security issues affecting the region and U.S. strategic interests. The bipartisan outreach included meetings with the offices of Senator Mitch McConnell...

The Baltic Security Initiative is now officially ensconced in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act at a level of $175 million. The act, which was signed into law by President Trump on December 18, will deepen “security cooperation with the military forces of the Baltic countries” and “achieve United States...

Dear Council Member Keith Powers, dear President of the Estonian House Carl Skonberg, dear community representatives, ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to honor the legacy of Estonian diplomat Mr Ernst Jaakson. He who represented Estonia in New York from 1932 until 1998, until his passing. He was recognized...

Ernst Jaakson is not only a historical figure. For Estonian diplomats, he stands as one of the towering personalities of our foreign service – a man with a moral compass many could envy. His life story is something that could only emerge from the combination of a person deeply committed...

In his narrative nonfiction masterpiece, “In the Garden of Beasts,” Erik Larson writes about the rise of Hitler in 1933-34. He delves into the life of the new American ambassador in Berlin, William Dodd, who slowly comes to realize that something treacherous is afoot. Even though Dodd and a few...

A few days after submitting last month’s Vaba Eesti Sõna article (“Baltic Security Initiative Update: To Be or Not to Be?”) about the endangerment to the BSI, there were positive developments, this time coming from the United States Senate. By a vote of 77-20 on October 9, the Senate passed...

A consular mission is an alternative way to apply for Estonian documents and provide fingerprints. The Estonian Embassy regularly organizes missions to cities with honorary consuls and larger Estonian communities. During consular missions the consul provides all consular services, except visas. Pre-registration is required — email: [email protected] Please include: The...

In early September, sources reported the sobering news that the Trump administration intended to halt established United States security assistance programs with allies and partners, including those for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. As Noah Robertson wrote in The Washington Post on September 4, 2025: “Among the programs to be suspended...