The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia has decided to transfer Ambassador Marge Mardisalu-Kahar from Georgia to Armenia and to end her tenure as head of the diplomatic mission in Tbilisi as of March 10, 2026, according to the Estonian public broadcaster ERR.

Until a new ambassador is appointed, Estonia’s diplomatic representation in Georgia will be headed by Chargé d’Affaires Gita Kalmet. Estonia has not specified when a new ambassador to Tbilisi will be named.

Mardisalu-Kahar will remain Estonia’s representative to Armenia, where the official opening of a new Estonian embassy in Yerevan is planned for March. She will become Estonia’s first resident ambassador to the country.

Representatives of the Estonian Foreign Ministry explained the move as a shift in foreign policy priorities amid cooling relations with Georgia and strengthened cooperation with Armenia.

According to the official statement, relations with Georgia have deteriorated since the change of government in Tbilisi in 2024:

• The Georgian authorities stepped back from previously declared plans for European integration, suspending the process of accession to the European Union;
• A “foreign agents” law for NGOs was introduced, modeled on Russian legislation;
• Street protests were harshly suppressed.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry noted that support for Georgian state institutions is no longer a priority of Estonia’s foreign policy, while emphasizing that it continues to support Georgia’s territorial integrity as well as the development of civil society and independent media.

Georgian officials have stated that they do not intend to “attach excessive importance” to Estonia’s decision, stressing that such personnel decisions fall within the sovereign prerogative of each state.

The ambassador’s departure from Tbilisi may be perceived as a symbolic sign of a deterioration in political dialogue between Tallinn and Tbilisi. For many years, Estonia has been one of the most active supporters of Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, providing financial and expert assistance for reforms and cooperation with the EU.

The transfer of the ambassador to Yerevan, by contrast, reflects Estonia’s growing strategic interest in the South Caucasus in light of new geopolitical realities. In recent years, Armenia has intensified contacts with the EU and several European capitals in an effort to build a more balanced and sustainable regional position.

Experts note that although Estonia’s diplomatic presence in Tbilisi formally remains, such personnel decisions may weaken bilateral political dialogue and reduce the intensity of high-level cooperation, particularly at a time when Georgia is seeking to strengthen its foreign policy trajectory.

#ARMENIA

#GEORGIA

#ESTONIA

14.02.2026 09:22