ABSTRACT
European strategic autonomy is still a rather amorphous concept for Estonian political, military, and academic communities. While in general pro-European and pro-integration, the Estonian political and military elite asks: what is that which the European Union is about to deliver that the US-led NATO is not already delivering? As Estonia has no global ambitions and interests, security is for its elite a regional issue and is primarily meant to cope with Russia’s aggressive ambitions. There is also a fair dose of scepticism against federal developments within the EU. Hence, in Estonia, ESA tends to be welcomed only by lifelong supporters of EU integration, while other groups see it as either a useless glittering initiative or a bothersome functional competitor to existing NATO capabilities.
