Areas of expertise: NATO and U.S security and defence policy; transatlantic relations; deterrence and defence posture in the Baltic region
Languages: Estonian, English
Nele Loorents joined the ICDS as research fellow in December 2023. Prior joining the ICDS Nele Loorents had a long-term career as a civil servant at the Estonian Ministry of Defence. Since 2000 she pertained to the fields of Defence Investments, as well as Defence Policy and Planning.
Nele Loorents lately served as Defence Counsellor and Representative of the Estonian Ministry of Defence to Estonian Embassy in Washington. In this latest capacity she followed the developments of the U.S. security and defence policy, as well as worked with Estonian-U.S. political-military affairs both in bilateral, regional and in NATO context.
Between 2017-2021 Nele served as the Deputy Defence Counsellor in the Permanent Representation of Estonia to NATO. In this capacity, she was responsible for Defence Policy and Planning Committee, with main focus to Defence Planning related issues including NATO Defence Planning Process. She also was a member of Nuclear Planning Staff Group. Prior to her posting in NATO, she fulfilled different leadership posts in the defence investment sector.
Nele Loorents has a MA in International Security and Strategy from King’s College, London. In 2013-2014 she also participated in the International Security and Strategy Leadership Course in Royal College of Defence Studies, London. She has also studied at the University of Tartu and at the University of Tallinn and holds a MSc degree in Geo-ecology.
