Yesterday, 13 January, Estonia’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Arti Hilpus, presented his credentials to the President of Switzerland, Guy Parmelin.
In the discussion following the presentation ceremony, Ambassador Hilpus and President Parmelin addressed the European security situation and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Ambassador Hilpus stressed that comprehensive support for Ukraine and sustained pressure on Russia must continue. He commended Switzerland’s contribution to Ukraine’s reconstruction and its alignment with the European Union’s sanctions against Russia.
Hilpus added that, in order to ensure the security of both Ukraine and Europe as a whole, it is essential to achieve a just and lasting peace based on the fundamental principles of the OSCE. “Ukraine must also be provided with security guarantees that would make any repeat of Russian aggression against any European country impossible,” he emphasised. Switzerland is holding the Chairpersonship of the OSCE this year.
It was agreed that regular bilateral engagement is necessary, both at the highest political level and between officials and experts. President Parmelin highlighted Switzerland’s support for Estonia as a European Union Member State through a bilateral cooperation programme focusing on social inclusion and biodiversity, which also enables regular contacts between the two countries.
They also discussed the promotion of economic and business relations between Estonia and Switzerland. “Switzerland is an important export partner for Estonia and a priority area of work,” Hilpus noted. “Last year marked 100 years since the conclusion of the trade agreement between Estonia and Switzerland, and Swiss investment in Estonia has increased significantly in recent years, rising to seventh place in the country rankings. We wish to further deepen business ties with Swiss partners, particularly in the fields of digital technologies, cyber security and biotechnology.”
Arti Hilpus was born in 1972. He graduated with a degree 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.
