On 20–21 January 2026, the Under-Secretary of State – Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ivars Lasis, took part in the annual meeting of the Political Directors of the Baltic and Nordic (NB8) Ministries of Foreign Affairs which was held in Tallinn, Estonia.
The meeting addressed current issues related to the Baltic-Nordic cooperation, including the priorities and planned activities of Estonia as the NB8 coordinator for this year. The meeting highlighted the importance of enhancing regional security and defence and the support for Ukraine, while also underlining Russia as the main threat in the Euro-Atlantic area and the need to continue Russia’s containment, including through sanctions. The significant increase in defence budgets in the Baltic and Nordic countries was also highlighted, calling on other NATO members to follow their example. The Baltic and Nordic countries, which are among the largest providers of support to Ukraine, reaffirmed their continued political, military, and civilian support for Ukraine and also stressed the importance of keeping Ukraine high on the international agenda. The strengthening of Arctic security, vital for the NATO Alliance as a whole, was discussed by the Political Directors. The NB8 countries reaffirmed their solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland, highlighting the importance of maintaining sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Political Directors also addressed the current situation in the South Caucasus, along with issues relating to India and the Pacific region.
The NB8 format is coordinated on a rotational basis. This year, cooperation among the NB8 countries in the foreign affairs sector is coordinated by Estonia.