Estonia to chair Nordic-Baltic Eight, Ukraine named top priority
Photo: Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
From January 1, 2026, Estonia will take over the chairmanship of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8), a regional cooperation format that also includes Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland, and Sweden, ERR reports.
Estonia’s Foreign Ministry said its goals will include strengthening regional cooperation, increasing the international visibility of the NB8, and deepening the region’s strategic integration.
"Together, the NB8 countries are significantly larger, more visible, and more influential than individually. We want to be seen as a unified and strong region that, despite the relatively small size of its states, is one of the key economic and political partners in the Euro-Atlantic space," said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
Among Estonia’s chairmanship priorities are also continued comprehensive support for Ukraine and sustained pressure on Russia.
Estonia’s chairmanship of the Nordic-Baltic Eight will last throughout 2026.
Earlier, the Nordic-Baltic Eight countries reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and pledged to continue military assistance amid Russia’s full-scale war.
They also committed to ongoing arms supplies to Ukraine, strengthening European defense, and further tightening sanctions against Russia for as long as it continues the war.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Estonia has consistently provided military aid to Ukraine. Recently, Ukraine officially submitted to Estonia a list of military assistance worth €100 million, including drones, watercraft, and medical equipment.
Previously, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that to strengthen Ukraine’s position and increase pressure on Russia, Estonia had delivered 10,000 artillery shells and 750,000 food rations for Ukrainian troops.
