Merili Arjakas

Merili Arjakas is a junior research fellow at the International Centre for Defence and Security, a think-tank in Tallinn, Estonia. She joined ICDS in December 2021, and since 2023, she has also served as the editor-in-chief of Diplomaatia, ICDS’ foreign and security policy magazine. Her research focuses on European Union affairs, and she is particularly interested in the interplay between domestic and international politics, exploring how various dynamics influence societies in Europe and the Middle East. Additionally, she held the position of Marcin Król Fellow (2021-22) at Visegrad Insight, where she continues to provide analyses on Estonian politics and their implications for Central and Eastern European affairs. Merili holds a BA degree in contemporary history and an MA degree in international relations and European Union affairs from the University of Tartu. She has also studied the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and US foreign policy at George Mason University. Currently, she is engaged in the study of French language and culture at the University of Tallinn.

Read what Merili has to say about the Think Tank School:

I am grateful to New Eastern Europe for providing us with the opportunity to connect with amazing individuals from around the world, all sharing a keen interest in the politics of Central and Eastern European countries. The discussions, spanning from early morning workshops to debates well after dinner, allowed for engaging conversations that were at times serious, at times lighthearted, but always allowed us to broaden our minds and learn something new.