An agreement has been signed which will advance the Sovereign Military Order of Malta’s (SMOM) hospitaller and healthcare activities in Estonia.
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) and Grand Chancellor of the SMOM Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo signed the agreement Thursday on the sidelines of an official visit the Grand Master of the order was making.
The agreement sets up the legal framework for advancing the order’s hospitaller and healthcare activities in Estonia and, by extension, aid to Ukraine.
It was my pleasure to sign a cooperation agreement today with the Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta.
One of the worlds oldest humanitarian organisations is now an even closer partner to Estonia – in healthcare, social freedom and in supporting Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/klKGzsoHxV
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) June 11, 2026
“Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Order of Malta has been one of Ukraine’s most important humanitarian partners. It has provided food, medical assistance, shelter during harsh winters, as well as thermoses and blankets to countless people fleeing the aggression. The agreement signed today adds a new dimension to bilateral cooperation between Estonia and the Order of Malta,” Tsahkna said via a press release.
The agreement covers cooperation in healthcare, social welfare, volunteer services, disaster risk reduction, humanitarian assistance, and the integration of refugees into Estonian society.
Its implementation and monitoring is to be overseen by an evaluation committee comprising representatives of both parties.
Estonia and the Order of Malta established diplomatic relations in 2020, and the SMOM opened its embassy in Tallinn three years ago.
Tracing its roots back to the Knights Hospitallers of the Middle Ages, the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta is a Catholic lay religious order. Though it possesses no national territory, the order is considered a sovereign entity under international law. It is led by an elected prince and grand master. As such, it is one of the world’s oldest humanitarian organisations, operating in more than 120 countries and assisting the sick and those in need. It has cooperation agreements with over 50 countries and international organisations. In Ukraine, it has provided food and medical assistance in more than 65 cities since 2019, delivering nearly €80 million in aid.
Critics question its relevance to the modern world and its close ties with the Vatican, while members of the order itself have expressed concerns over its autonomy in relation to the Holy See.
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