Minister Byrne to meet Estonian Minister for Foreign Affairs

Minister Byrne to meet Estonian Minister for Foreign Affairs

• From: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

• Published on: 17 April 2026
• Last updated on: 17 April 2026

The Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne TD, will today (Friday 17 April) visit Tallinn as part of a series of visits to European capitals, ahead of Ireland's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Minister Byrne will meet with the Estonian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Margus Tsahkna. Their discussions will focus on Ireland's EU Presidency policy priorities, the EU's next multi-year budget, Ukraine, and security and defence.

Commenting on his visit, Minister Byrne said: "I look forward to discussing key foreign and security policy areas with Minister Tsakhna. As fellow EU member states, Ireland and Estonia have excellent cooperation underway, including in support of Ukraine. My meeting with Minister Tsakhna is reflective of our commitment to deepen our bilateral engagement within the framework of the Nordic-Baltic Strategy."

Minister Byrne continued: "As European Affairs Minister, I want to ensure that the Irish EU Presidency starts off in July with strong momentum and a clear sense of what we want to achieve, which is why I have been keen to engage with European counterparts in their capitals. Ireland and Estonia are likeminded on many issues, and I deeply value our partnership."

During his visit, Minister Byrne will also meet with the Chair of the Parliamentary National Defence Committee, Grigore-Kalev Stoicescu, and visit the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, of which Ireland is a contributing participant since November 2019, and full member since 2023.

ENDS
Press Office
17 April 2026

Notes:

Minister Byrne launched Ireland's Nordic Baltic Strategy in December 2025. More information is available here: A Strategy for the Nordic Baltic Region | Ireland.ie