Singing with 100,000 Estonians at the Song Festival! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

I decided to try to join a choir and sing in the Estonian Song Festival five years ago - mission accomplished! Lots more singing in today’s concert. I am one of 31,000 singers and musicians, video by my wife. A bit of rain cannot stop Estonians or Brits! Elagu Eesti! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Proud of the troops from the Mercian Regiment-led Battlegroup taking part in today’s Victory Day Parade in Pärnu. #allies #liitlased 🇬🇧🇪🇪🔥

Thank you @eddavey.libdems.org.uk and @helenmaguiremp.bsky.social for visiting Estonia to meet troops from the Mercian Regiment-led Battlegroup, PM Michal and Defence Minister Pevkur. Cross-party support for our close defence partnership with 🇪🇪 is important reassurance that it will endure. 🇬🇧🇪🇪

A day of football! First, the ten year anniversary of the Spin program, modelled on Kicks in the UK. We support Spin in Estonia through the British Council and today had a team of Mercians playing Spin alumni. End result - Mercians 5, Spin alumni 2! And then on to….

Congratulations to Paul Taylor, awarded an MBE in today’s Birthday Honours, for services to UK/Estonia relations. Thank you, Paul, and congratulations! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Our union flag is at half mast today following the terrible crash of Air India Flight 171. Our thoughts are with the families of all the victims.

Proudly waving the 🇬🇧 at the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Tallinn. Our juniors came 12th, their best result ever, and our seniors have been great so far this morning! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Lots of positives from an 🇪🇪 point of view too: - strengthened nuclear deterrence - new air, naval and cyber capabilities - Army 10x more lethal - new long range weapons All alongside Estonia’s own impressive defence investments. #Allies #Liitlased 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Thank you to the Estonian Foreign Affairs Ministry for a great Ambassadors tour of Noarootsi on the northwest coast! We have learnt about the region’s Swedish past, fishing, sea rescue, schools, businesses and more. And made bread, swam, ran and beach yoga! Great to visit a new part of 🇪🇪. 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Thank you President Karis for attending the launch event for the English-language translation of President Lennart Meri’s “Silverwhite” (Hõbevalge), an epic work of history and identity. Brilliantly translated by Adam Cullen, published by Hurst Publishers and available now! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Fantastic morning talking to students taking part in the Democracy Academy (motto: “we don’t want to be bystanders”), run by the President Kaljulaid Foundation. Great questions on the recent UK/EU deal, the Middle East and what diplomats do. 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Hosted a packed screening of “Ocean with David Attenborough” - Sir David’s film offers a powerful mix of alarm and hope. 🇬🇧 and 🇪🇪 are both members of the Global Ocean Alliance and committed to the goal of protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. It’s vital we do so. 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Thank you ArmyAirCorps - here in 🇪🇪 and flying President Karis to south Estonia as part of Exercise Hedgehog. Later today he will meet the Black Rats (4th Light Brigade Combat Team), here in strength for the first time. #Allies #Liitlased 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Delighted to say that all the practices have paid off and Kalamaja Segakoor WILL be on stage at the Song Festival in early July! This has been my dream since 2020, and along the way have got to know a wonderful (and big!) group of people. Cannot wait! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Helping the kids make pancakes on 🇪🇪 Mothers’ Day! 🇬🇧🇪🇪❤️

My article on VE Day in today’s Õhtuleht newspaper. Grateful for the sacrifices past generations made for our freedom. 🇬🇧🇪🇪 MÄLETAME KANGELASI! Briti suursaadik: Euroopa tähistab võidupäeva, kuid Venemaa pole vigadest õppinud www.ohtuleht.ee/1130511/male...

Learnt so much visiting Ragn-Sells recyling plant: - Thats’s over €1k-worth of aluminium cans - It’s the most efficient recycling plant in the Baltics - OK to keep putting clean pizza boxes in the cardboard recylcing bin! Keep up the good work! 🇬🇧🇪🇪🌍

Ready for my favourite race - the oldest running race in the Baltics! It’s roughly 12k around Viljandi lake - roughly because you can take whatever route you like. Will be tough this year after two weeks eating a lot in Texas and Louisiana! Good luck to all runners! 🇬🇧🇪🇪🏃🏻

On my way to 🇳🇱 King’s Day reception. It is the Year of the Book in 🇪🇪 because it is the 500th anniversary of the first known mention of a book in Estonian. So our Dutch friends have asked us all to bring a book to swap. Only one possible author for me! #JaneAusten250 🇬🇧🇪🇪

So pleased for former Defence Attache, Commander Rob Steadman, awarded his MBE by HRH The Princess Royal. Very well deserved! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Interested in AI? We are hosting an open panel event with partners from all of 🇬🇧🇺🇦🇪🇪🇳🇱🇳🇴🇸🇪🇫🇮🇱🇻🇱🇹 this afternoon from 1600-1800 at Taltech’s @MEKTORY building. There will be some serious expertise in the room (and me asking questions!). No need to register, just come along!

“Prince William sends message from tank near Russian border on Estonia trip” - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A @DefenceHQ spokesman has said: “There are no plans to change our deployment to the eastern flank of NATO. The UK’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable. British troops have been deployed, working hand in hand with our Estonian allies for nearly nine years together…

RIP Group Captain John “Paddy” Hemingway DFC, the last of the few. Per ardua ad astra. bbc.com/news/article...

At an auction for 🇺🇦 organised by the Computer Sciences Faculty at Tartu University with the Ukrainian Ambassador. The UK provided cakes with 🇬🇧🇪🇪🇺🇦 flags and an auction prize. The event raised €28k which will all go towards Ukraine’s defence. Part of a good day’s work! 🇬🇧🇪🇪🇺🇦

Head emakeelepäeva! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

So energising starting the week with a school visit, with loads of excellent questions. Today we covered everything from NATO Article 5, nuclear deterrence, and Brexit to ice skating, singing, and Eberechi Eze! Thanks for having me. 🇬🇧🇪🇪

A fun (but tough!) afternoon as one of the judges in 🇪🇪’s English-language National Public Speaking Competition. Some brilliant speeches and nerves of steel - well done to all of the participants and finalists! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Congrats to Cino - another good example of shared 🇪🇪🇬🇧 success in tech! Cino cracks bill-splitting at the moment of payment, raises seed round techcrunch.com/2025/03/04/cin… via @techcrunch

Important EU Council today. Of course UK is not a member but we welcome all progress towards Europe looking after its own security and supporting Ukraine. The scale of investment needed requires a collective effort across all of Europe, and the UK will play its part. 🇬🇧🇪🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺

Oluline teave Ühendkuningriiki reisijatele! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Lots of people have raised with me the issue of Baltic states’ involvement in talks about Ukraine and Russia. Here is Prime Minister Starmer giving a clear assurance in the House of Commons yesterday. 🇬🇧🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹🇺🇦

🇬🇧🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹🇺🇦 The Prime Minister reiterated that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are key partners of the UK, including through the Joint Expeditionary Force, and welcomed their leading contributions in support of Ukraine since Russia’s illegal invasion began. www.gov.uk/government/n...

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Thank you President Karis for inviting us to Estonia’s Independence Day reception - elagu Eesti! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Did you know tanks can salute? (Watch til the end). (Challenger 2 tank from 🇬🇧 Royal Tank Regiment, the world’s first tank regiment, in Estonia’s Independence Day parade alongside 🇪🇪🇫🇷🇺🇸 allies). 🇬🇧🇪🇪

🇬🇧 represented at 🇪🇪 Independence Day parade by a cross-section of personnel here, led by the Royal Dragoon Guards. In glorious sunshine and with a great 🇺🇦🇪🇪 flag behind them. 🇬🇧🇪🇪🇺🇦

Elagu Eesti! 🇪🇪 Happy Independence Day to Estonian friends everywhere. 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Big day today - first audition for the summer Song Festival! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Three years ago I spent lots of my time here on defence, and lots of my time on tech, and those were mostly separate. Not any more. Estonia's tech investors take defence into their own hands as Russian threat looms 🇬🇧🇪🇪🇺🇦 www.msn.com/en-gb/money/...

“Sir Keir called Zelensky on Wednesday evening and told him it was "perfectly reasonable" for Ukraine to "suspend elections during wartime as the UK did during World War Two", Downing Street said.” 🇬🇧🇺🇦🇪🇪 www.bbc.com/news/article...

arvamus.postimees.ee/8194523/brit... 🇬🇧🇪🇪🇺🇦

Kivi kotti, Tommy! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Latest of my occasional columns on the Premier League. Spoiler alert - Palace lost, but my son still loved the experience! If you haven't been to a Premier League game in person, book a trip! 🇬🇧🇪🇪⚽️ www.ohtuleht.ee/sport/112477...

-5° and sunny is just right with me! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

Added benefit from speaking to a group of influencers, a little sketch! 🇬🇧🇪🇪

🇬🇧 in past 48hrs: - PM call to Pres Zelensky today: 🇺🇦 “on irreversible path to NATO” - Foreign Secretary joint statement with other European foreign ministers - Increased military support for 🇺🇦: £4.5bn this year - On anniversary of Navalny’s death, new sanctions 🇬🇧🇪🇪🇺🇦

Head sõbrapäeva! 🇬🇧❤️🇪🇪

🚨 NEW: Ukraine is on ‘irreversible path to Nato’, Keir Starmer tells Zelenskyy “[The PM] was unequivocal that there could be no talks about Ukraine, without Ukraine”, a Downing Street statement said Full story ⤵️ www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/02...