Arti Hilpus, born in Elva in 1972, is no stranger to the world stage. The historian and graduate of the Geneva Center for Security Policy can look back on an impressive career that has taken him from Berlin to Moscow to Riga. Since fall 2025, he is serving as Estonian ambassador to Austria and permanent representative to the United Nations in Vienna.
Hilpus presented his credentials to Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in the fall of last year. The meeting had a special personal touch: Van der Bellen, who was himself an Estonian citizen until 1959, has family roots in Hilpus’s hometown of Elva. But despite the nostalgia, the focus was on hard realpolitik. Hilpus emphasized the need to strengthen national defense and resolutely counter hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea region.
Focus on Switzerland and the OSCE
Just a few months later, on January 13, 2026, Hilpus continued his diplomatic journey and presented his credentials to Swiss President Guy Parmelin. As Switzerland holds the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) this year, this meeting was of particular importance.
In Bern, Hilpus emphasized that a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine could only be based on the fundamental principles of the OSCE. He praised Switzerland for aligning itself with EU sanctions against Russia and for its contribution to the reconstruction of Ukraine.
In addition to the security policy, Hilpus is promoting economic cooperation. Estonia, known worldwide as a pioneer in digitalization, is increasingly seeking partnerships in the areas of cybersecurity, biotechnology, and e-governance.
“Switzerland is an important export partner for Estonia,” said Hilpus. In fact, Swiss investment in Estonia has risen significantly recently and now ranks seventh in the country ranking of investors.
A life in the service of diplomacy
Arti Hilpus’s CV reads like a chronicle of Estonian foreign policy since independence. His time as ambassador to Russia (2015–2018) was particularly formative, a period in which relations were already severely strained by the annexation of Crimea. Prior to his current appointment, he headed the arms control department at the Estonian Foreign Ministry and played a key role in coordination with NATO.
With his main residence in Vienna, Hilpus will now become the central hub for Estonian interests in Central Europe and at international organizations (UN, IAEA, OSCE).
More information on Mr. Hilpus:
Curriculum Vitae
2022–2025: Director of Arms Control Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
2018–2022: Ambassador to Latvia (non-res. to Uzbekistan)
2015–2018: Ambassador to the Russian Federation
2012–2015: Ambassador to Bosnia & Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia
2009–2012: Ambassador to Norway and Iceland
2005–2008: Director of Security Policy / EU CFSP Divisions, MFA
2001–2004: First Secretary (Political), Embassy in Berlin
1995–2001: Various Director & Adviser roles, MFA and State Chancellery
1998–1999: International Training Course, Geneva Centre for Security Policy
UNIS United Nations Information Service