After arriving in Tallinn to warm weather and sunlight, the Tufts, West Point, and Naval Academy contingents began the Joint Research Project at US Embassy Tallinn. We met with Deputy Chief of Mission Elizabeth Horst, ODC Chief Jason Gresh, Defense Attachè Povilas Strazdas, Political/Economic Chief John Spykerman, and Assistant Public Affairs Officer Julia Smart. The meeting at the embassy was an important first step as each officer we spoke to provided us with a rundown of basic cultural and political information which in turn, allowed us to be better prepared for our future interviews. Our research topics range from internal and external Estonian security to the financial impact of NATO and EU membership on Estonia. Furthermore, visiting the embassy was a beneficial way to see how the United States carries out its mission abroad.
