MEP Riho Terras: The Future of the EU’s Security and Defence

We are glad to invite you to the 2020 MEP Talk Series. The events are aimed to favour public discussion, awareness, and debate in the light of MEPs' first hand experience.

On Thursday, September 24 at 16:15 in Lossi 36-307, Riho Terras, Estonia's former Chief of Defence, will be giving an open lecture on the future of the Union's security and defence. "Which Way Forward?"

Born on 17 April 1967 in Kohtla-Järve (Estonia), Riho Terras is the former Chief of Defence of Estonia. General Terras's civilian education included history studies at the University of Tartu and a Master's Degree in Political Science and Sociology at the University of Bundeswehr.

His military education included studies at the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom, the Joint Command and General Staff Course at the Baltic Defence College, Beijing Military University International Course, the European Security Policy Course at the Geneva Centre of Security Policy and other basic military education courses.

General Terras joined the Estonian Defence Forces in 1991. He founded and served in several infantry units taking up various positions and eventually became Chief of Staff of the Kalev Infantry Battalion. He was sent to Germany by the Commander of the Defence Forces Major General Einseln to obtain NATO Military Education 1994. After graduating several military education courses and from the Bundeswehr University (Germany), he served as the commander of the Guard Battalion from 1998 to 2000. General Terras was appointed as Chief of Staff of the Defence League Headquarters (National Guard) in 2000.

From 2001 to 2004, he served as the Estonian Defence Attaché in Germany and Poland. In 2007, General Terras served in the Operation Iraqi Freedom and NATO Training Mission - Iraq as Deputy Chief of Staff.

Between 2005 and 2008, General Terras served in different positions in the Estonian Defence Forces Headquarters and became the Deputy Chief of the HQ for Operations.

In 2008, General Terras retired as a Colonel and was appointed as Permanent Secretary of the Estonian Ministry of Defence. Between 2008 and 2010, General Terras carried out a number of austerity programmes and structural reforms in response to the world economic crisis.

In 2011, General Terras was called back to military service, he was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed as the Chief of Defence from 5 December 2011 to 5 December 2018.

After his retirement, General Terras joined MILREM ROBOTICS as the President of the Defence Division on 21 January 2019.

In this current term of the European Parliament, Riho Terras is Head of the EPP Group National Delegation for Estonia. He is a Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and a Substitute Member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

The MEP Series lectures are organised by Dr. Stefano Braghiroli, the lecturer of European Studies in the framework of European Union - Russia Studies MA Programme. More information: Stefano Braghiroli, stefano.braghiroli@ut.ee