Keynote Speaker
Mr Keir Giles
Mr Keir Giles is a Senior Consulting Fellow with the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House in London and the Conflict Studies Research Centre director in Northamptonshire, UK. He has a diverse background, including flying training with the Royal Air Force, extensive travel in the Soviet Union, and co-founding a company for Western pilots to fly Soviet military aircraft.
He has written for military and aviation journals and worked with Ernst Young and Gorky Film Studios. At the BBC Monitoring Service, Keir helped set up the first Monitoring office in Moscow and coordinated the service’s response to the internet’s emergence. He specialized in Russian military and aviation, leading to a secondment to the UK Defence Academy’s Conflict Studies Research Centre in 2005. There, he advised on Russian military, defence, and security issues, and after the Academy’s Russia-related programmes closed in 2010, he re-established CSRC as an independent research provider.
Mr Keir has studied Russian information warfare and authored groundbreaking studies on Russian theory and doctrine. He has written several books, including “Moscow Rules” (2019), “Russia’s War on Everybody” (2022), and “Who Will Defend Europe?” (2024). Beyond Russia studies, Mr Keir has taught human anatomy and physiology, established a business for complementary therapists, and received various awards. He has also published and provided expertise through the NATO Defense College and other institutions. His publications are available online.
Political Address
Mr Hanno Pevkur
Mr Hanno Pevkur assumed office as the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Estonia on 18 July 2022. Before that, he was a member of the 13th and 14th Riigikogu from 2016 to 2022 and has held several ministerial positions: Minister of the Interior (2014-2016), Minister of Justice (2012-2014), and Minister of Social Affairs (responsible for the fields of work, health, and social protection).
Having started his career in law, he went on to serve in the Nõmme District Administration in Tallinn from 2000-2005, first as an administrative secretary and later as city district elder. In 2005–2007, he was a member of the Tallinn City Council, Chairman of the Nõmme District Administrative Board, and an advisor to the Minister of Justice. From 2007–2009, he was a member of the 11th Riigikogu.
Concluding Political Address
Ms Rasa Juknevičienė
Ms Rasa Juknevičienė, born on January 26, 1958, in Tiltagaliai, Lithuania, is a prominent Lithuanian politician and former paediatrician. She graduated from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and practised medicine until 1992. In 1990, she became a signatory to the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania.
She served multiple terms in the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) from 1990 to 1992 and from 1996 to 2019, holding positions such as Deputy Speaker and member of the Committee on National Security and Defence. From 2008 to 2012, she was Lithuania’s Minister of National Defense. Internationally, Ms Juknevičienė was active in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, serving as its President in 2018.
Since 2019, Ms Juknevičienė has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) with the European People’s Party (EPP) group. She is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) and has been appointed as the AFET Standing Rapporteur for Georgia. Moreover, she serves as the Vice-Chair of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly. She is a member of the Delegation to the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, and the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee.
AMB Pierre Lévy
Dr Margarete Klein
Dr Margarete Klein is the Head of the Research Division „Eastern Europe and Eurasia“ at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). Before joining SWP in 2008, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Regensburg, Germany. In 10-12/ 2015, Margarete Klein was Robert Bosch Public Policy Fellow at the Transatlantic Academy in Washington, D.C.
Her field of expertise is Russia´s military, security and foreign policy, which she has published extensively. Her more recent publications include „How Russia is recruiting for the long war“ (2024) and – together with Dr. Claudia Major – „Ensuring Ukraine´s security“ (2023).
She wrote about the European Security Order and Russia´s policy towards Asia and the Middle East. Dr Klein advises the German Bundestag and German Federal Government and frequently comments nationally and internationally.
Dr Kristi Raik
Dr Kristi Raik has been the Director of the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) since January 1, 2025. Previously, she served as Deputy Director and Head of the Foreign Policy Programme from 2023. From 2018 to 2022, she led the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute at ICDS. She has held key positions at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki and the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union in Brussels.
In addition to her leadership roles, Dr Raik is an Adjunct Professor of International Relations at the University of Turku. She has extensively published, lectured, and provided expert commentary on European security, EU foreign policy, and the EU’s relations with Russia, Ukraine, and other Eastern neighbours. She is also a recognized expert on the foreign and security policies of the Baltic states and Finland, contributing to the work of Estonian, Finnish, EU, and NATO institutions. Dr Raik holds a PhD from the University of Turku.
Mr Louis Wierenga
Mr Louis Wierenga is a Lecturer in International Relations at the Baltic Defence College, where he teaches international security and foreign policy analysis and decision-making. He also proudly serves as a Syndicate Guiding Officer (SGO) for the Joint Command and General Staff Course.
His research interests include NATO, European and Baltic Sea Region security, AI and emerging disruptive technologies, and U.S. foreign policy.
Mr Wierenga is an associated researcher at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) and has held research and lecturing positions at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, University of Tartu and the University of Latvia. He has held guest fellowships at Uppsala University’s Institute for Russian and Eurasian Studies (IRES), Söderörn University’s Department of Political Science, and European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder).
He holds an MA from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and a BA in History and European Studies from York University. Before entering academia, Mr Wierenga served in the United States Marine Corps infantry
Ms Yuliia Dukach
Ms Yuliia Dukach, PhD, the Head of Disinformation Investigations at OpenMinds, a cognitive defence tech company dedicated to countering authoritarian influence in the fight for free and open societies.
With over five years of experience in investigative data journalism and multiple awards recognising her work, she is a leading expert in disinformation research. At OpenMinds, she plays a key role in developing innovative analytics and investigative projects, uncovering the hidden dynamics of information warfare and propaganda. Renowned for its ability to access hard-to-reach regions through advanced technology and deep local expertise, OpenMinds collaborates with the governments of Ukraine and NATO member states, leading communication agencies, and prominent think tanks.
Over the past two years, OpenMinds has executed more than 380 counter-disinformation campaigns and conducted 55 research projects on societal resilience and the impact of propaganda, with a particular focus on the Russo-Ukrainian war. The company’s work has been featured in leading global media outlets, including The Times, The Economist, CNN, The Financial Times, The Guardian.
Dr Colin Gérard
Dr Colin Gérard is a geopolitical expert specializing in Russian foreign policy and information influence strategies. He is a Team Leader at VIGINUM under the General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN) and an Associate Researcher at GEODE.
He holds a Ph.D. in Geopolitics from University Paris 8, awarded for his research on Russia’s information influence strategy. Previously, he was a Researcher at the French Ministry of Defence.
Dr Gérard has published extensively and participated in over 30 academic events on digital interference and geopolitical strategy.
Mr Ruslanas Iržikevičius
Mr Ruslanas Iržikevičius is a director of the Media Support Fund in Lithuania, the founder and former publisher and former editor-in-chief of the Lithuania Tribune news portal, and the founder and former editor-in-chief of lrytas.lt English section. He is also the founder and former editor-in-chief of the English sections in DELFI.lt and 15min.lt news portals.
He earned a master’s degree with Honours in History from the University of Edinburgh and worked at the Bank of Scotland before returning to Lithuania. Iržikevičius later served as a press and political officer at the British and Swedish embassies in Vilnius. He is interested in politics, security, media, information warfare, and transatlantic cooperation, focusing on the Baltic region, Nordic/Baltic cooperation, Russia, and Central and Eastern Europe.
He writes opinion pieces for Lithuanian and international media. Mr Iržikevičius is a senior fellow of the Visegrad Insight think tank in Poland and a member of the International Advisory Board of Centrum Balticum at the Turku University in Finland. He is a member of the Lithuania’s Riflemen Union (Lietuos Šaulių Sąjunga).
Mr Emil Wannheden
Mr Emil Wannheden is an analyst at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), specialising in Russia’s economy, geoeconomics, sanctions, and military expenditures. Mr Wannheden is also a Board Member of the Norwegian-Swedish Chamber of Commerce (Norsk-Svenska Handelskammaren).
With extensive experience in diplomacy and international affairs, Mr Wannheden served as a Desk Officer at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, focusing on Nordic-Baltic cooperation, EFTA/EEA issues, and multilateral development banks.
Additionally, he held diplomatic roles at the Swedish embassies in Sarajevo and Rome, covering political and economic affairs, communication, trade promotion, and EU policy.
Mr Joachim Sucker
Mr Joachim Sucker serves as the Director of the European procurement agency OCCAR EA.
Prior to this role, Mr Sucker was the head of the Equipment IV sub-division at the German Federal Ministry of Defence.
Since November 2014, he has overseen the equipment and operational use of air systems, including combat and transport aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial systems, and airborne and space-based reconnaissance systems.
Dr Jānis Bērziņš
Dr Jānis Bērziņš is a senior researcher and former director of the Center for Security and Strategic Research (CSSR) at the National Defense Academy of Latvia, a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of New Generation Warfare, and The Saratoga Foundation.
His work focuses on the juxtaposition between the theoretical developments of Russian Military Thought and the operational reality on the ground. This includes both the hybrid and conventional aspects of warfare, such as influence, information, and psychological operations.
Dr Bērziņš has lectured as a guest in the United States, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Singapore, Belgium, Brazil, Estonia and Lithuania at various academic and defence institutions. They include the New York University, the Johns Hopkins University, the George C. Marshall Center European Center for Security Studies, the Swedish Defense University, the Swedish Defense Research Agency, the Norwegian Military Academy, the US Army’s Asymmetric Warfare Group, the NATO’s Special Operations Command Europe, the NATO/SHAPE Brunssum Headquarters, among others.
Dr Bērziņš has advised the United Kingdom House of Commons’ Defense Select Committee, the Parliament of Singapore, the Swedish Government and the Polish Government. He has advised the Ministry of Defense of Singapore regarding Strategic Communications, influence, information, and psychological operations. He has also provided expertise about Russia’s doctrine for the US Department of Defense and Russia’s strategic issues for the private sector.
Mr Peeter Luikmel
Mr Peeter Luikmel is the Head of the Monetary Policy and Foreign Econo 1996, mostly in digitalising banking services. Since 2002, he has been mostly working for the central bank.
He has a background in economic research and analysis. As a member of the Eurosystems Monetary Policy Committee, he has been exposed to the preparation of monetary policy for the euro area for the last decade.
He has also lectured in various courses related to the dynamics division at the Bank of Estonia. He joined the banking sector in finance and economics at many universities. Peeter Luikmel is also a member of the Estonian Defence League in the Cyber Defence Unit (Küberkaitseüksus).
Dr Daivis Petraitis
Dr Daivis Petraitis has been a Lecturer at the NATO accredited education and training facility, Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL), since August 2024.
He has a PhD in political science from the Lithuanian Military Academy and an MPP in International Security and Economic Policy from the University of Maryland.
Dr Petraitis served in the Lithuanian Armed Forces with his last military assignments, including being head of the military information (J2) analysis, the defence staff chief advisor on arms control and verification, and a deputy Lithuanian NMR at SHAPE.
After the retirement he joined the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense as a head of the defense policy section. Before joining the BALTDEFCOL, he was a chief advisor and deputy departmental director in the International Relations and Operations Department (MOD). He is a military expert, author of studies on the Russian military and defense.
Dr Laura Solanko
Dr Laura Solanko is a Senior Adviser in the Monetary Policy and Research Department at The Bank of Finland.
With extensive expertise in global economic trends, Dr Solanko specializes in the economies of Russia and China and developments in energy markets. Her insights contribute to shaping monetary policy and economic research at an international level.
MG Randolph J. Staudenraus
MG Randolph J. Staudenraus is the Deputy Chief of Staff Operations for Joint Force Command Brunssum, the Netherlands.
He is responsible to the Chief of Staff (COS) for directing, monitoring, assessing, and coordinating operational staff functions. He assists and advises COS on policy matters and executes all operational activities, including implementing the regional focus. MG Staudenraus directs and oversees all Joint Operation Centre, J2, J3, and Joint Assessment activities in the JF HQ.
MG Staudenraus was commissioned from Washington State University. Following pilot training, he flew A-10s, T- 38s and F-15Es.
He joined the Maryland Air National Guard in 2003, where he served as Operations Group, Vice Wing and Wing Commander, responsible for the organisation, training and equipping of over 1,400 Airmen serving both state and federal missions, 175th Wing, Warfield Air National Guard Base, Maryland.
He also served as Director of Plans and Programs (NGB/A8/9) two different times, representing the National Guard Bureau/A8/A9 in the Air Force and Department of Defense (DoD) strategic planning and programming processes where he directed Air National Guard (ANG) resource, ANG future missions strategy and directed long-range planning to meet NGB federal and state missions.
MG Staudenraus served as the Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché, United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) Embassy of the United States, Kuwait. Before his current assignment, he served as Director of strategy, Policy, Plans, and International Affairs (NGB/J- 5) at the National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia.
BG Ilmārs Lejiņš
BG Ilmārs Lejiņš is the Deputy Director of the Policy and Capabilities Division at NATO International Military Staff. Born in California in 1971 to a Latvian émigré family, he grew up in Sweden and was educated in West Germany.
After the Soviet occupation ended, he returned to Latvia and joined the Latvian Armed Forces in 1993, graduating from the Swedish Infantry Military Academy in 1996.
His military career spans from platoon leader in the Baltic Battalion to brigade command. BG Lejiņš has served in various roles, including setting up a professional NCO training system, commanding the 2nd Infantry Battalion, and leading an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team in Afghanistan.
As Commander of the Land Forces Mechanized Infantry Brigade, he played a key role in Latvia’s NATO Enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup deployment.
BG Lejiņš has held staff positions at the Latvian Joint HQ and NATO, including Branch Head for Military Cooperation at NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum and Assistant Chief of Staff Joint Force Development at NATO’s Allied Command Transformation. He assumed his current post in July 2022.
He graduated from the Baltic Defence College and the UK’s Joint Services Command and Staff College, holding an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London. He has received various military awards and is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences.
Mr Rainer Saks
Mr Rainer Saks has worked as the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia from 2015 to 2020.
Before that, he worked as the Director General of the Estonian Information Board (currently the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service) for the Estonian government. As the Director of the Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia and National Security Coordinator in the Government Office of Estonia.
At the turn of the millennium, Mr Saks was an adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Mr Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who later became the president of the Republic.
Currently, he works in the Estonian cyber defence technology company Cybexer Technology. He is a member of the management Board of this company.
Besides his job in the company, he has been writing daily reports about the Russian war against Ukraine since the beginning of the aggression. One year ago, he joined the PractNet team as an expert and participated in Molodova advising the project.
BG (ret) Dr Klaus Wittmann
MAJ Dmytro Dehovets
MAJ Dmytro Dehovets is an officer of the Ukrainian Air Force, specializing in telecommunications and air traffic control systems. Throughout his career, he has held various roles in the Signal Battalion and Signal Regiment, including responsibilities in system maintenance, personnel supervision, and communication management.
He currently serves as an officer in the multinational exercises’ preparation branch, coordinating training and international cooperation efforts. His work also involves coordinating training abroad AF personnel and supporting operational capability evaluations.
MAJ Tilli Ghale
MAJ Andrius Bivainis
LTC Kevin Ryan
LTC Kevin Ryan is a US Army War College Fellow and student with the Higher Command Studies Course of the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL).
He has served in various command and staff positions from the tactical through strategic levels of command, deployed multiple times in support of operations in Southeast Asia and Europe, and holds master’s degrees in military studies and legislative affairs.
Dr Illimar Ploom
Dr Illimar Ploom is lecturer in Emerging Technologies and Innovation at the Department of Leadership and Management Studies at the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL). He holds a doctoral degree in modern history (D.Phil.) from Oxford University.
He has worked as a researcher and lecturer at Tartu University and Tallinn University of Technology, and as an associate professor at the Estonian Military Academy.
His research interests include innovation and defence industry, procurements, military technologies, European security and defense initiatives, EU-Russia relations, resilience and comprehensive defence, and strategic narratives.
MAJ Arūnas Šileikis
MAJ Marius Paukštas
MAJ Marius Paukštas is a strategic communications and defence expert with extensive experience in NATO, Lithuanian Armed Forces, and international military operations. He is a Joint Command and General Staff Course Student (JCGSC) student at the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL).
MAJ Paukštas has previously served as the Head of Strategic Communications and Public Relations at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, playing a key role in institutional strategy and reorganisation.
Before that, he was the Head of the Strategic Communications Planning Team at NATO SHAPE, contributing to NATO defence plans, policy development, and multinational coordination. His expertise spans public affairs, crisis communication, psychological operations, and civil-military cooperation.
He has a bachelor’s in Public Administration and Military Security Studies a Master’s in Human Resources Management from the Military Academy of Lithuania, a Master’s in Strategic Communications from King’s College London. MAJ Paukštas is a PhD candidate at Vytautas Magnus University, where he is researching ‘The impact of Ukraine’s Strategic Communication on securing international military support during the Russo-Ukraine War.’
Dr Ieva Gajauskaitė
Dr Ieva Gajauskaitė is an Associate Professor at the Research Group of Global Politics at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy in Lithuania.
She earned her PhD in Political Science from Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania. Her research focuses on strategic partnerships, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe and East Asia, as well as foreign interference, hybrid warfare and hybrid threads, and democratic resilience with a focus on the East Asia and the Baltic States.
Dr Gajauskaitė has authored several publications, including analyses of strategic partnerships in foreign policy, cultural diplomacy, and military cooperation between Lithuania and Poland. She has participated in various scientific internships and think-tank projects, contributing to her expertise in global politics and international relations.
Dr Anne Roelsgaard Obling
Dr Anne Roelsgaard Obling is an Associate professor and Head of research at the Department of Leadership and Organization at the Royal Danish Defence College, where she researches and teaches about changes in the Armed Forces and the military profession.
Dr Obling teaches ‘Strategic Crisis Management’ in the Master of Public Governance program as an external lecturer at Copenhagen Business School, where she obtained her PhD in 2012.
Dr Obling specialises in public organisations, especially defence and security organisations, and how institutional structures, professional roles and functions, working methods and management change over time. She looks specifically at newer forms of organisation – including changes in NATO, the build-up of the Nordic total defence, leadership in NATO and UN missions and new requirements for civil-military cooperation, as well as challenges in the Danish military administration.
Dr Rasa Smaliukienė
Dr Rasa Smaliukienė earned her undergraduate degree from Kaunas University of Technology in 1995, followed by a master’s degree in management from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University in 1997.
She continued her academic journey at the same institution, obtaining a PhD in 2002. Since 2002, Dr. Smaliukienė has been a faculty member at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, where she served as Head of the Department of Management (2008–2018) and has been a professor since 2012. Dr Smaliukienė leads the Bachelor’s program in Defence and Public Management at the academy. In addition, she has been a lecturer at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University since 2004 and was appointed as an Associate Professor in 2008.
Dr Smaliukienė has broadened her expertise through internships at higher military schools in the United States, Austria, Poland, and Germany. She has also been a visiting professor at higher education institutions in Austria, the United States, Colombia, Poland, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Finland.
She is an expert at the NATO Agency for Science and Technology, the International Organization for Standardization, and an expert in the evaluation of the quality assurance agencies of Higher Education in Lithuania, Latvia and the Czech Republic, as well as the national science projects of Latvia and Poland.
Dr Toms Rostoks
Dr Toms Rostoks is specializing in international relations, with a focus on security studies and deterrence strategies.
Since 2021, he holds the position of Director at the Centre for Security and Strategic Research at the National Defence Academy of Latvia. In addition to this role, Dr Rostoks is an Associate Professor in international relations at the Department of Political Science, University of Latvia, where he obtained Ph.D. in 2008.
Dr Rostoks’ research interests encompass security of Latvia and the Baltic States, NATO’s deterrence strategy aimed at Russia in the Baltic States, intentions of states, foreign and security policy of Latvia, factors influencing the choice of military service model, etc.
He has co-edited the book “Deterring Russia in Europe” (Routledge, 2018) and has contributed articles to journals such as the Journal of Baltic Studies and the Journal on Baltic Security. Dr Rostoks’ expertise is frequently sought in discussions concerning NATO-Russia relations and EU relations with its eastern neighbours.
AMB Shota Gvineria
Ambassador Shota Gvineria joined the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL) as a Defence and Cyber Studies lecturer in July 2019. He is also a senior fellow at the Economic Policy Research Center since 2017.
Earlier, AMB Gvineria has been working in various positions in Georgia’s public sector. Among other positions, Shota Gvineria served as the Deputy Secretary at the National Security Council of Georgia.
He was Foreign Policy Advisor to the Minister of Defense of Georgia in 2015-16. From 2010-14, he served as the Ambassador of Georgia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2010, he was promoted to Director of the European Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
Before that, he served as a Head of NATO Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. From 2006 until 2008, he was posted as the Counselor of the Georgian Mission to NATO.
AMB Gvineria holds an MA in Strategic Security Studies from Washington’s National Defense University. He also earned his MA in International Relations from the Diplomatic School of Madrid and Public Administration from the Georgian Technical University.
Prof. Giedrius Česnakas
Prof. Giedrius Česnakas is a Security Policy Research Group professor at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania.
From 2017 to 2023, he headed political science programmes of International Relations (undergraduate) and Military Diplomacy (graduate). Currently, he represents the Academy in a joint doctoral committee in political science, partnering with the Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas University of Technology, and Klaipėda University. He supervises doctoral students, conducts research, and lectures.
He was awarded the pedagogical title of Associate Professor of Social Sciences on June 22, 2023. In 2015, the Lithuanian Research Council awarded him for the best research of young researchers in the humanities and social sciences fields for his dissertation “Energy Resources in the Foreign Policy of Russia towards Belarus and Ukraine in 2000-2012”.
Prof. Česnakas contributed to developing critical national documents, such as the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Lithuania, in 2017 and 2021. He is a member of the editorial boards of two scientific journals: “Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review” and “Security and Defense Quarterly.” He actively participates in international scientific associations and organisations, including the European International Studies Association and the OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions.
LTC Karl Salum
LTC Karl Salum is a lecturer on crisis management at the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL).
He has served in the Estonian Defence Forces since 1998, mostly in staff and professional military education assignments. In 2006, he was deployed to Iraq as a staff officer at the Coalition headquarters.
LTC Salum holds a Master’s degree from Georgetown University’s Security Studies Program and is a US Marine Corps Command and Staff College Blended Seminar Program graduate. His research interests include national interests, strategic culture, and comprehensive security.
Mr Kaimo Kuusk
Mr Kaimo Kuusk assumed the position of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Estonia in September 2024.
Before being appointed as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Mr Kaimo Kuusk served as Estonia’s Ambassador to Lithuania.
Before that, he was the Estonian Ambassador to Ukraine, where he coordinated the delivery of Estonia’s military aid following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
From 1998 to 2019, Mr Kuusk held various positions in the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, with the last nine years as Deputy Director General. In 2019, he began working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Bureau.
Mr Kaimo Kuusk graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in political science and furthered his education in the Civil Servants’ Course at the Baltic Defence College and the University of Oslo.
In addition to Estonian, he is fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.
AMB Matti Maasikas
Ambassador Matti Maasikas is a seasoned diplomat and expert in European affairs with extensive experience in international relations, EU diplomacy, and policy advising. Born on June 12, 1967, in Tallinn, Estonia, he graduated from Tartu University in 1993 with a degree in history.
Currently serving as the Managing Director for Europe at the European External Action Service (EEAS), AMB Maasikas has held numerous high-profile positions in both national and European institutions.
From 2019 to 2023, he was the Ambassador – Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, playing a key role in EU-Ukraine relations. Previously, he served as Deputy Minister for EU Affairs of Estonia, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the EU, and Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His career includes advisory roles within the European Commission and diplomatic postings as Estonia’s Ambassador to Finland.
Fluent in Estonian, English, Finnish, German, Ukrainian, Russian, French, and Swedish, AMB Maasikas brings a wealth of diplomatic expertise and a deep understanding of European and international affairs to his current role.
Mr Nika Gvaramia
Mr Nika Gvaramia is a Georgian journalist, lawyer, and politician known for his advocacy for press freedom and democratic reform. He is the founder of the political party Ahali and a leader of the Coalition for Change, Georgia’s leading opposition movement.
Previously a government official and MP after the 2003 Rose Revolution, Mr Gvaramia transitioned to journalism, leading Rustavi 2, Georgia’s top opposition broadcaster, before founding Mtavari Arkhi in 2019 following a controversial court ruling that transferred Rustavi 2 to a government-aligned businessman.
In 2022, he was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison on politically motivated charges, becoming the first journalist in Georgia imprisoned for his work since CPJ records began in 1992. Following an international outcry, he was pardoned in 2023.
Mr Gvaramia remains a key figure in Georgia’s political and media landscape, championing democracy, media independence, and human rights.
AMB Maksym Kononenko
Ambassador Maksym Kononenko is the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to Estonia, appointed in March 2021. He has held key diplomatic positions, including Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) (2021–2023). His previous roles include Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of Ukraine in France, and leadership positions within Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specializing in EU and NATO relations, international law, and border disputes.
As a legal expert, he contributed to Ukraine’s maritime delimitation case against Romania and represented Ukraine in significant constitutional and diplomatic proceedings.
He holds a Master’s in International Law from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a diploma in French and EU Business Law from Université Panthéon-Assas. Fluent in Ukrainian, French, English, and Russian, he is also a published author on legal and geopolitical issues.
