We are sharing the press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia:
On 19 November, Estonian Ambassador to Austria Arti Hilpus presented his credentials to Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen.
In the conversation following the presentation ceremony, President Van der Bellen thanked his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis for hosting the Arraiolos Group meeting of heads of state in Tallinn in October. The Austrian President has personal ties with Estonia – several of his close relatives have lived in Estonia and studied at the University of Tartu. President Van der Bellen and Ambassador Hilpus recalled that President Van der Bellen’s uncle Konstantin worked for many years as a doctor in Elva, the birthplace of Ambassador Hilpus, following the Second World War. President Van der Bellen himself was an Estonian citizen until 1959.
Ambassador Hilpus and President Van der Bellen then discussed the security situation in Europe. Hilpus outlined Estonia’s plans to strengthen national defence capabilities and provided an overview of hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea region. In connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Austrian President emphasised the economic strength of the European Union, which enables its member states to be more decisive and resolute in defending democracy and countering external threats. “A just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia is only possible if Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected and Russia is held accountable for its violations of international law,” Ambassador Hilpus added.
The meeting also addressed opportunities to deepen relations between Estonia and Austria. “Estonia and Austria are close partners, and we see many opportunities to enhance cooperation, including in the fields of e‑governance, innovative technology and education,” Hilpus said. It was noted that governments have a responsibility to create a favourable environment and opportunities for young people who have obtained higher education abroad and wish to contribute to the development of their homeland upon returning.
Arti Hilpus was born in 1972. He graduated in history from the University of Tartu and completed the international course at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. In 1996, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Director of the Personnel Division, later serving as Director of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy Division (1999–2001 and 2005–2006) and Director of the Security Policy Division (2006–2008). From 2001 to 2004 he worked as a diplomat at the Estonian Embassy in Berlin. Hilpus served as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway and the Republic of Iceland (2009–2012), Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia (2012–2015), Ambassador to Russia (2015–2018), and Ambassador to Latvia (2018–2022). Before taking up his current post, Hilpus was Director of the Arms Control Division in the Ministry’s NATO and Transatlantic Relations Department (2022–2025). Since autumn 2025, he has been Estonia’s Ambassador to Austria and to the international organisations based in Vienna. He resides in Vienna.
