Kaljulaid was a panelist on a public forum that was held on the University of Dayton campus on Thursday morning that focused on global affairs and security issues.
After the discussion, Kaljulaid said he only got to see a little bit of Dayton so far, and delegates are very busy during Parliamentary Assembly sessions.
But Kaljulaid said he always tries to find time to walk around, explore and visit local shops and businesses.
“Sometimes they do keep us so busy that you basically see the airport and the inside of a car and a hotel and a conference center,” he said. “But sometimes you get little breaks, and I always try to go out.”
“What’s the point of flying all the way to Dayton, Ohio, and then not seeing it?” he said. “I definitely want to see it, especially because I have this personal connection with Ohio.”
He really hopes to find an Ohio-branded sweatshirt to replace an Ohio Northern University sweatshirt he outgrew.
Kaljulaid said he has visited Washington, D.C., the East Coast, Alaska and other parts of the United States, and Americans generally love to chat. He has chaired the Estonian delegation since 2023.
He said he thinks more NATO events should take place outside of capital cities. He said these events should provide an economic boost to host cities.
Estonia is a country of about 1.3 million people that is on the Baltic Sea and borders Russia and Latvia.
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