President Pavel visits Estonia, will discuss security and cyber defence

Czech President Petr Pavel is on a two-day state visit to Estonia. Today, he is meeting his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis as well as Prime Minister Kristen Michal. They are expected to discuss the security situation in Europe, especially with regard to Russia. The president will also speak in Tallinn at a conference organised by NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence and at a business forum.

Petr Pavel noted that the Baltic states, including Estonia, are among the NATO members most exposed to the Russian threat and face various forms of hybrid attacks, provocations in airspace and flyovers by foreign drones.Within NATO, they advocate increasing defence spending so that it reflects real needs and threats, Pavel said. According to him, Estonia’s successful digitalisation of its public administration could serve as an inspiration for Czechia.