Alvar Soosaar

Fjond Ventures; former Dir. of US Investment & Trade -- Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Wahoo; Oxonian; Dad

[Estonian MFA 🇪🇪 | 🌻 #StandWithUkraine @MFAestonia]

Estonia mourns the passing of former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Siim Kallas, who played an important role in the restoration of Estonia’s independence and the building of our free state.

Throughout his years of public service, he helped shape Estonia’s path back to Europe. During his time as Prime Minister, Estonia concluded the accession negotiations that paved the way for membership in the European Union and NATO.

Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.

[toomas hendrik ilves @IlvesToomas]

When people ask why, unlike so many of its fellow prisoners, did Estonia burst out of the prison gates of Soviet occupation guns blazing, it's because people knew ahead of time what needed to be done.

And planned for it.

-The Constitutional Convention, tasked with writing a wholly new Basic Law (the pre-occupation version was deemed unfit for modern purpose), was agreed to on the night of the declaration of independence and convened a mere three weeks later;

-A genius liberal economist and later godfather of much of Estonia's economic success, the late Siim Kallas was already planning for Estonia's own currency;

-Economic reforms -- privatization, price liberalisation, property restitution had been planned. All that was needed was to create the necessary laws and to implement.

Much else was in the works, in 1991 Estonians were just waiting for the starting gun of de facto independence.

Independence did not fall into Estonia's lap unexpectedly. Estonia knew what needed to be done.

[Marko Mihkelson 🇪🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 @markomihkelson]

Estonia 🇪🇪 🥇

[Bad Baltic Takes @BadBalticTakes]

The @NASA that put humans on the moon is the NASA that never, ever recognises fake annexations.

This week they screwed up during their eclipse broadcast, showing a map of Crimea separated from the rest of Ukraine.

Of course it’s probably just one content person picking some generic map software. Some will argue the map just reflects realities on the ground anyway, blah, blah.

Well, back in 1969, the Baltic countries were also occupied by Moscow and were also being erased from maps.

But never at NASA.

Just weeks before launching Apollo 11, the US invited the nations of the world to submit goodwill messages that could be carried to the moon and left alongside the plaque about coming in peace for all mankind.

73 countries understood the assignment and responded in time with their messages.

Despite being under occupation, that included Estonia and Latvia’s highest representatives who wrote congratulations on behalf of the Estonian and Latvian people respectively.

Ernst Jaakson and Anatols Dinbergs were both diplomats stationed abroad before the occupation, and then both stranded without a government to represent.

Nevertheless, they continued showing up for work and were therefore able to do things like send a message to the moon.

The US, like other free countries, simply refused to recognise Moscow’s sham annexation and so refused to hand over Baltic diplomatic buildings.

They always recognised the Baltic countries as independent in international law and therefore continued to treat diplomats like Jaakson and Dinbergs as legitimate representatives.

Despite plenty of active communication between Washington and Moscow at the time, there is no goodwill message from the Soviet Union on the moon.

Either Moscow didn’t want to be included as equals on a list with Estonia and Latvia as independent Republics (plausible) …or Moscow just didn’t have the competence to get a letter signed off at short notice (also plausible!)

Time was running out back on Earth though.

The Baltic countries could be represented by diplomats it had already sent, but had no ability to send new diplomats while under occupation and without a government.

Based on “realities on the ground”, Moscow was sure it could run down the clock.

But Jaakson and Dinbergs completed their half century mission.

They outlived the Soviet Union and remained in post long enough to ensure legal continuation of their Republics. Both were promoted to Ambassadors when their governments returned.

So every time you look up at the moon, remember their words still up there on the Sea of Tranquility.

"On behalf of the Latvian nation I salute the first men on the Moon and pray
for their safe return,��� wrote Dinbergs. “May their achievement contribute to world peace and restoration of freedom to all nations."

“The people of Estonia join those who hope and work for freedom and a better world,” wrote Jaakson.

Also, every time you look up at the moon, remember occupation can be defeated. We must stick to our values.

[Estonian Embassy US @Estonia_in_US]

Today marks 121 years since the birth of Ernst Jaakson, the world’s longest-serving diplomat.

Representing 🇪🇪 in the 🇺🇸, he carried our diplomatic voice through decades of exile, upholding Estonia’s legal continuity under Soviet occupation & keeping alive the hope of freedom.

[Alvar Soosaar @ASoosaar]

So good

[Estonian Embassy US @Estonia_in_US]

As August begins, our Ambassador @kprikk has concluded his tenure in the U.S. We thank him for his outstanding service, leadership, and dedication to strengthening 🇪🇪🇺🇸 relations.

His work has left a lasting mark.

Wishing him every success as Estonia's Ambassador to @estNATO!

[Oliver Molander @OliverMolander]

Damn Estonia

(And the Baltics in general)

[Alvar Soosaar @ASoosaar]

@RusHeritageUK @NikitaObnosov @BadBalticTakes Yes, much like the farmer closing the barn door after the horses have escaped. The unintended consequence of the (also mostly Russian) putschists in trying to usurp Gorbachev and strengthen the USSR was to further expose weakness and provide an escape opportunity.

[Estonian MFA 🇪🇪 | 🌻 #StandWithUkraine @MFAestonia]

86 years ago today, Acting U.S. Secretary of State Sumner Welles issued the Welles Declaration, affirming a principle that remains just as relevant today: borders cannot be changed by force.

By refusing to recognise the Soviet occupation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the United States helped preserve the legal continuity of our independence throughout five decades of occupation.

Today, as Russia once again seeks to redraw borders by force, the principles upheld by the Welles Declaration remain as important as ever.

[Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ @RepDonBacon]

I’ve enjoyed working with Estonian Ambassador Kristjan Prikk and wish him well as he concludes his service in Washington. We’ve been a good team in advancing deterrence policy in the Baltics, and Estonia remains a steadfast NATO ally on the front lines of freedom.

[Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ @RepDonBacon]

President Trump directed DoD to replace the Armor Brigade in Poland 58 days ago after the Pentagon deployed the Brigade back to U.S. Congress and our NATO partners have heard “CRICKETS” from DoD and we don’t like that the civilian leadership has unilaterally withdrawn 40% of the Armor from Europe with ZERO concessions from Russia. This is the opposite of “Peace through Strength.” Working with Congress is a two-way street and we want a plan now.

[Alvar Soosaar @ASoosaar]

@rceallen As long as you acknowledge 42 IS the answer.

[Alvar Soosaar @ASoosaar]

@AndrewBreiterWu @aakashgupta If you visited the one in Boston, that’s not a replica.

[Alvar Soosaar @ASoosaar]

@rceallen Aitäh Sinu kõva töö eest!

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

“As we know, the English historically struggle here in Massachusetts.”

Such a casually brilliant line. 😂

[Barstool Sports @barstoolsports]

“God Bless the beaver”

This dude from France went to Buc-ees and his life changed forever

[Alar Karis @AlarKaris]

Today marks 85 years since the Soviet June deportations, when thousands of Estonians were torn from their homes & sent to Siberia. We honored the victims & those who never returned. We must remember the past, because the ideologies that justify violence and oppression still exist

[Estonian MFA 🇪🇪 | 🌻 #StandWithUkraine @MFAestonia]

In the early hours of this day 85 years ago, thousands of families across Estonia were woken by a knock on the door, only to be torn from their homes and deported to Siberia by the Soviet regime.

During the June 1941 deportations, around 10,000 Estonians, together with tens of thousands of Latvians and Lithuanians, fell victim to Soviet terror.

As we honour the victims of these crimes, we must also remember that Russia is using many of the same methods in Ukraine today — deporting children, terrorising civilians, and attempting to erase Ukrainian identity.

History teaches us that crimes left unpunished lead to further aggression. It is time to hold Russia accountable.

[Ambassador Jonatan Vseviov @vseviov]

Ukraine’s deep strikes and Western action against Russia’s shadow fleet send a clear message: there is nowhere to hide, and Putin’s attempt to restore an empire through aggression has reached a dead end.

Meanwhile, work on the EU’s 21st sanctions package continues. Pressure on the aggressor will keep growing until Russia changes course.

The sooner it does, the sooner normality can return.