At a news conference in Helsinki on Monday, the recently elected president said NATO membership was the best solution for Estonia. However, he added, that doesn't necessarily apply to all countries.
Ilves said that each country has to make up its own mind about NATO, and Estonians will support Finland regardless of what it decides.
In an interview with the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat earlier this month, Ilves said it would be useful from a security policy viewpoint if the whole Baltic region belonged to NATO.
Ilves arrived on Monday for an official visit to Finland. He met with both President Tarja Halonen and Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen.
The 52-year-old Social Democrat MEP was elected to the post after winning a vote in the Presidential electoral college. He narrowly defeated the incumbent Arnold Rüütel.
Ilves is a former Estonian Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States. He was born in Sweden and educated in the US.
Ilves took office last week. The post of President in Estonia is largely ceremonial. Ilves is the fourth man to hold the job, following Konstantin Päts (1938-40), Lennart Meri (1992-2001) and Rüütel (2001-06).
Finnish News Agency, AP, YLE24