List of ambassadors of the United States to Estonia

This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Estonia.

The United States has maintained continuous official diplomatic relations with Estonia (as well as Latvia and Lithuania) since 1922, when one ambassador, resident in Riga, Latvia, was appointed to all three nations. Relations with the three nations were broken after the Soviet invasion of the republics in 1940 at the beginning of World War II. The United States never recognized the legitimacy of the Soviet occupation of the three Baltic nations, nor the legitimacy of the governments of those states under Soviet occupation. Hence, diplomatic relations were not resumed until 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The U.S. Embassy in Estonia is located in Tallinn.

Ambassadors +NameTitleAppointedPresented credentialsTerminated missionNotesFrederick W. B. ColemanThe ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, while resident in Riga, Latvia. – Political appointeeEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiarySeptember 20, 1922November 20, 1922Left Riga October 20, 1931 During Coleman’s tenure as nonresident Minister, the Legation in Tallinn was established on June 30, 1930 with Harry E. Carlson as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.Robert Peet SkinnerSkinner was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1931. – Career FSOSeptember 23, 1931April 2, 1932Left Riga April 29, 1933John Van Antwerp MacMurrayMacMurray was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 15, 1934. – Career FSOAugust 28, 1933January 4, 1934Left Riga February 12, 1936Arthur Bliss Lane – Career FSOJanuary 24, 1936September 10, 1936Left Riga September 16, 1937Frederick A. SterlingThe ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Estonia and Latvia, while resident in Riga.Sterling took the oath of office but did not proceed to post. – Career FSOAugust 9, 1937——John C. Wiley – Career FSOJuly 18, 1938November 24, 1938June 17, 1940 Soviet forces occupied Tallinn and Riga on June 17, 1940, which effectively ended the U.S. diplomatic presence in those nations. The legation in Tallinn was officially closed, September 5, 1940.The United States announced its readiness to reestablish relations with Estonia on September 2, 1991. Embassy Tallinn was established on October 2, 1991, with Robert C. Frasure as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. He was subsequently commissioned as ambassador. The embassy was established in the same building on Kentmanni Street that had been the U.S. legation before the World War II.Source: U.S. Embassy in Tallinn: History of U.S. Relations with Estonia Robert C. Frasure – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMarch 23, 1992April 9, 1992July 8, 1994 The following officers served as chargés d’affaires ad interim: Keith Smith (July–December 1994), and Jon Gundersen (December 1994 – August 1995).Lawrence P. Taylor – Career FSOJune 27, 1995August 3, 1995August 7, 1997Melissa Foelsch Wells – Career FSOOctober 1, 1998November 3, 1998September 10, 2001Joseph M. DeThomas – Career FSONovember 5, 2001December 11, 2001July 7, 2004Aldona WosWos was commissioned during a recess of the Senate. – Political appointeeAugust 2, 2004September 2, 2004December 17, 2006Stanley Davis Phillips – Political appointeeMarch 21, 2007May 31, 2007January 16, 2009 Karen B. Decker – Career FSOChargé d'Affaires ad interimJanuary 16, 2009December 10, 2009Michael C. Polt – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiarySeptember 25, 2009December 10, 2009July 22, 2012Robert S. Gilchrist – Career FSOChargé d'Affaires ad interimJuly 22, 2012September 17, 2012Jeffrey D. Levine – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryFebruary 17, 2012September 17, 2012September 27, 2015James D. Melville Jr. – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMay 7, 2015December 8, 2015July 29, 2018Elizabeth Horst – Career FSOChargé d’Affaires ad interimJuly 29, 2018August 2, 2019Brian Roraff - Career FSOChargé d’Affaires ad interimAugust 2, 2019July 22, 2022Gabrielle Cowan - Career FSOChargé d’Affaires ad interimJuly 22, 2022January 30, 2023George P. Kent - Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryDecember 21, 2022February 21, 2023January 20, 2025Matthew E. Wall - Career FSOChargé d’Affaires ad interimJanuary 20, 2025November 26, 2025Roman Pipko - Political appointeeAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryOctober 7, 2025November 26, 2025Present

See also Embassy of the United States, Tallinn Estonian Embassy, Washington, D.C. Estonia – United States relations Foreign relations of Estonia Ambassadors of the United States

Notes

References United States Department of State: Background notes on Estonia

External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Estonia United States Department of State: Estonia United States Embassy in Tallinn