riikidevahelises

Riikidevahelises is an Estonian adjective form meaning “between states” or “interstate.” It is used to describe relations, agreements, institutions, and activities that involve two or more sovereign states, as opposed to domestic actors or purely bilateral contexts.

Etymology and form: The term is built from riik (state) plus vahe (between) and the suffix -line, with the plural genitive marker -ide. The form riikidevahelises is the inessive singular, indicating “in the interstate context” or “in the inter-state sphere.” The base adjective riikidevaheline is used in various cases and numbers (riikidevahelised in the plural nominative, riikidevahelise in the genitive, etc.).

Usage and contexts: Riikidevahelises is common in official, legal, and academic Estonian when referring to intergovernmental relations, cross-border cooperation, and multilateral arrangements. It appears in phrases such as riikidevahelises koostöös, riikidevaheline leping, riikidevahelises õiguskeskkonnas, and riikidevahelises majandustegevuses. The term often signals interactions among sovereign states and is sometimes distinguished from broader rahvusvaheline (international), which can include non-state actors.

Nuance and scope: The concept emphasizes intergovernmental relationships and arrangements between states, rather than domestic or purely bilateral (two-state) relations. In everyday language, riikidevahelises is sometimes used interchangeably with rahvusvaheline, but it carries a clearer focus on the interstate level and governance among states.