Prince William will arrive in Estonia later to show his support for the country and troops based there who are providing a deterrent to Russian aggression in the region.
The Prince of Wales will fly to the capital Tallinn for the two-day trip on behalf of the UK government and the Foreign Office.
His visit comes at a crucial time for reassuring Estonians of Britain’s commitment to both their security and to Ukraine.
Estonia shares a 183-mile border with Russia and has been a key supporter of Ukraine.
On Friday, the prince will travel to Tapa camp, 100 miles from the Russian border, in his role as colonel-in-chief of the Mercian Regiment to learn more about how British troops are bolstering NATO’s eastern flank, Kensington Palace said.
British forces are deployed to Estonia and Poland under Operation Cabrit, the UK’s contribution to NATO‘s efforts to counter Russian aggression in the Baltic states.
Around 900 British personnel rotate on a continuous basis alongside Danish, French and Estonian forces.
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The royal visit has been planned for some months but is particularly timely as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer holds talks with his counterparts about potential troop involvement in any ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Estonia ‘fears it could be Russia target’
Diplomatic sources have said that in the current context, Estonia is fearful that, following a peace deal, Russia could re-arm rapidly and threaten Ukraine again or attack Estonia and other Northern European NATO allies, which makes them value the UK military presence here even more strongly.
On Thursday, Prince William will carry out engagements in Tallinn to see how the country has responded to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
His trip will include visiting Freedom School, founded by the Ministry of Education and Research in May 2022 to respond to the war. It’s estimated that around 60,000 Ukrainian refugees currently live there.
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He’ll also hear from clean tech companies innovating in renewable energy and technology – after the Baltic states recently disconnected from the Russian-controlled electricity grid and joined the main European electricity network.
The Royal Family has been on the front line of high-stakes diplomatic issues of late.
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The King recently met Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Sandringham just days after the Ukrainian president’s clash with Donald Trump.
A letter written by the King to Mr Trump, and delivered by Sir Keir, was also shown to the press pack gathered in the Oval Office – putting the monarch at the forefront of the UK’s efforts to forge close ties with the US president during an unprecedented second state visit.
