New Eastern Europe Magazine

Much has been said about how Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has reshaped politics in Europe and beyond. Yet, for the societies of the Baltic Sea region, these shifts are more than security narratives and political statements. They generate fear and apprehension that is felt almost every day. Thus, with Finland and Sweden now members of NATO, which is the strongest defence alliance the West has created, the region finds itself at the centre of a major rebalancing. This new dynamic has seen the states around the Baltic Sea emerge as a new nexus in Europe’s defence and security. Their proximity to the Ukrainian frontlines, combined with a deep understanding of the Russian threat, gives their voices greater weight in shaping NATO and EU responses. This also explains why these states have been investing in military capabilities, civil resilience, and regional cooperation more than other European states. Once located at a peripheral frontier, they are now a strategic core.
This issue of New Eastern Europe explores these changes taking place, from new defence strategies and alliances, to civil preparedness and social resilience. We open it with an interview with Andrius Kubilius, former Lithuanian prime minister and now EU Commissioner for Defence, who outlines the growing strategic relevance of the Baltic states in shaping Europe’s response to the threats facing the continent. National perspectives offer further nuances. Thus, Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO is analysed by Minna Ålander and Eric Adamson, while Nino Chanadiri reports on the experience of Ukrainian refugees in Estonia. Eóin McNamara investigates Estonia’s defence and Nasta Zakharevich asks whether Latvia is truly ready for war.