Northern Europe

Defining a Strategy for Europe’s East

This special panel on Defining a Strategy for Europe’s East included national leaders from Lithuania, which hosted the last EU summit on the Eastern Partnership, and from Latvia, which will host the next Eastern Partnership summit in 2015.

Estonia Wants, Expects More NATO Troops on its Territory

By David Mardiste, Reuters

Estonia expects to see more NATO troops on its territory in reaction to what it fears will be Russian attempts to destabilize the former Soviet republic, the country’s defense minister said on Tuesday.

Central Europe Frets About NATO’s Ability to Curb Russia

By Steven Erlanger, New York Times

Today’s NATO, hollowed out by years of European military cuts and deployed mostly to help fight far-off battles in places like Afghanistan and Libya, is no longer as prepared to counter a newly assertive Kremlin, its own leaders acknowledge.

Finland Announces Cooperation Agreement with NATO

By Yle

Finland has agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding with NATO stating the nation’s readiness to receive assistance from foreign forces and to maintain military assets such as ships and aircraft.

Putin’s Way of War and NATO’s Article Five

By Janine Davidson, Council on Foreign Relations

NATO countries have been reluctant to provide support to Ukraine’s military, who is not a member of the transatlantic alliance and therefore not entitled to a collective defensive response under NATO’s Article Five.

NATO Sending Five Ships to Baltic to Bolster Defense of Eastern Allies

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

NATO is sending part of its naval rapid reaction force to the Baltic Sea as part of measures to step up the defence of its eastern European allies in response to the Ukraine crisis, the alliance said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Katainen: Finland Should Join NATO

By Yle

[Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki] Katainen expressed his opinion that Finland should consider NATO membership along with Sweden, when the time is right.

After Russian Invasion of Crimea, Alliance Must Deter Incursions into NATO Members

By Matthew Kaminski, Wall Street Journal

“An aggressive, revanchist power,” in the Estonian leader’s words, makes the unthinkable thinkable. “We were already caught off guard with Crimea,” he [Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves] says.

Hesitation Within NATO will Encourage Russia to Test Alliance

By Artis Pabriks, atlantic-community.org

Since the end of the Russian-Georgian war in 2008, Russia has been seriously increasing its military budget (up 15-20% annually) and conducting military exercises with more than 100,000 personnel (Zapad 2009, Zapad 2013), targeted towards its western neighbours.

Crisis in Ukraine Highlights NATO’s Responsibility to Defend All Allies

By Andris Razans, National Interest

What is the strategic role and responsibility of NATO in this situation?