The primary goal of the visit was to dicsuss co-operation with a major Estonian foreign policy think-tank – International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) during the 2022 edition of the annual Lennart Meri Conference (LMC). ICDS and IIR are planning to organize a joint panel focused on challenges facing the Western Balkan countries on their way to the European Union. The 2022 Lennart Meri Conference will take place in mid-May in Tallinn.

During the visit, Ondřej Ditrych met with the ICDS director Indrek Kannik, the LMC director Eeva Eek-Pajuste, director of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute (part of ICDS) Kristi Raik, as well as other experts on various foreign policy issues. Apart from co-operation in the framework of LMC, partners discussed also possible long-term research co-operation, as well as topical issues of current international relations, such as situation at the Russian-Ukrainian border, China, European Union or transatlantic relations.

Apart from ICDS, Ondřej Ditrych met also with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affiars and the State Chancellery (Office of Government) to discuss topical issues in international arena but also Estonian system of situational awareness, resilience or strategic communication. The Embassy of the Czech Republic was delighted to assist in the preparation of his programme and organizing and participating in aforementioned meetings. We hope that the trip was a beginning of a successful co-operation among major Czech and Estonian foreign policy think-tanks that will result in a long-term strategic partnership.