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Security correspondent from 2003 to 2008. Though Estonia is an important producer of oil shale, a large share of mineral and energy resources is imported. "Never underestimate the Russians": Lessons from NATO's frontier Other countries are much later to the party and more cautious in what they sayand thats before you get to the huge problem of Germany. This is largely due to a Soviet policy of encouraging the mass immigration of Russian workers to the country. Estonia is the northernmost of the Baltic States. With the advent of Foreningen Norden (the Nordic Associations), the term was no longer used for Sweden and Denmark. All are part of the European Union (EU) and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The greater part of the three modern Baltic states' territory was for the first time included in the same political entity when the Russian Empire expanded in the 18th century. It is bordered to the south by Latvia, to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the east by Russia, and to the west by the Baltic Sea. Estonia had already obtained autonomy from tsarist Russia in 1917, and declared independence in February 1918, but was subsequently occupied by the German Empire until November 1918. Before WWII, Estonians made up 88% of the population, but between 1945 and 1989, their percentage of the population dropped to just 61%. Any NATO expansion is sensitive for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who cited the issue as a justification, among others, for his invasion of Ukraine. Latvias population is about 1.8 million. Two groups called the Samogitians and the Aukstaiciai became the Lithuanians, and five other groups would form the modern-day Latvian nation. Coauthor of, Professor of Geography, University of Waterloo, Ontario. Even if Moscow holds onto territory, the war has wrecked its future. Delivered Monday-Friday. You may opt out at any time. FILE - In this photo provided by the French army Friday March 18, 2022, a French soldier from the 7th Mountain Battalion wears a NATO badge at Amari air base, Estonia, Thursday, March 17, 2022. [33][34], The term Baltic stems from the name of the Baltic Sea a hydronym dating back to at least 3rd century B.C. Russia could eye Baltic states invasion despite NATO support All of these issues involving NATO and the Baltic littoral states are coming to a head in the current standoff with Russia. [15], In the late 1980s, a massive campaign of civil resistance against Soviet rule, known as the Singing revolution, began. US must remain committed to NATO and the Baltic States The Latvians also were considerably Germanized, and the majority of both the Estonians and the Latvians belong to the Lutheran church. But with NATO and Russia each blaming the other for creating instability in Eastern Europe, that may be a difficult task. [35] There are several theories about its origin, most of which trace it to the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European root *bhel[36] meaning 'white, fair'. Although the armed resistance was defeated, the population remained anti-Soviet. These units obviously cannot withstand a Russian assault; they are there to make sure the Kremlin knows an attack on the Baltic states would also be an attack on other NATO members. There is also frequent cooperation in foreign and security policy, defence, energy, and transportation. So-called peoples governments were subsequently installed in the three countries. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION AS AT 01.01.2018", "Home Oficialiosios statistikos portalas", "Employees fluent in three languages it's the norm in Lithuania", "Nida and The Curonian Spit, The Insider's Guide to Visiting", "Population by gender in regions, cities, counties and parishes at the beginning of the year - Gender, Territorial unit, Indicators and Time period", "Eurostat - Tables, Graphs and Maps Interface (TGM) table", "Defense budget to increase by 103 million", "GINI index (World Bank estimate) | Data", The Shadow in the East: Vladimir Putin and the New Baltic Front, On the Boundary of Two Worlds: Identity, Freedom, and Moral Imagination in the Baltics, 1914-1918-online. [2], After the First World War (19141918) the term "Baltic states" came to refer to countries by the Baltic Sea that had gained independence from the former Russian Empire. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Despite fresh salvos of Western sanctions, Tehran and Moscow are buddying up on defense ties. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Please follow our comment guidelines, stay on topic, and be civil, courteous, and respectful of others beliefs. [14] During the Cold War, Lithuania and Latvia maintained legations in Washington DC, while Estonia had a mission in New York City. The classified version would form the basis for military planning, exercises, and budgeting. The Baltic states have historically been in many different spheres of influence, from Danish over Swedish and PolishLithuanian, to German (Hansa and Holy Roman Empire), and before independence in the Russian sphere of influence. Three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow maintains imposing and generously staffed embassies across central and eastern Europe, which the host countries say provide convenient cover for espionage. It is the United States that makes the NATO security guarantee fully credible. Latvians, together with Livonians, who are another indigenous group in the country, make up 62% of the population. Join FPs Ravi Agrawal for a frank discussion about the Biden administrations China policy and alternatives that it ought to consider. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. NATO is an Alliance that consists of 30 independent member countries. Russian was the most commonly studied foreign language at all levels of schooling during the period of Soviet rule in 19441991. The Baltic states - together with Slovakia, which ordered out three Russians on Thursday - appeared to be responding to an appeal this week from the Czech Republic for European Union and NATO allies to show solidarity in removing Russian spies. Military, The predecessors of the modern Balts lived in a large swathe of territory south of the Finno-Ugric tribes, stretching west from territory that is now part of central Russia to the mouth of the Vistula River in modern-day Poland. In 2016, we deployed four multinational battlegroups or "enhanced forward presence" to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. And how might that be impacting the world? A lightning attack by Russian forces, likely following a period of intense, artificially created confusion, could reach the Baltic Sea or cut the Suwalki corridor in a matter of hours. Between the 10th and 13th centuries, the Baltic peoples came under siege from all directions. Lithuania, Latvia and the third Baltic nation, Estonia, with fellow NATO members and other Western countries have provided aid to Ukraine and harshly sanctioned Russia since it invaded the. During World War I, the Russian Revolution took place, bringing an end to the czarist Russian Empire. VILNIUS, April 23 (Reuters) - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on Friday joined a fast-growing list of NATO and EU members demanding the removal of Russian diplomats for alleged spying, in actions that have infuriated Moscow and look certain to provoke further retaliation. 6.2 United States. Private farms were confiscated, and farmers were made to join the collective farms. Today, ethnic Russian immigrants from the former Soviet Union and their descendants make up a sizable particularly in Latvia (about one-quarter of the total population and close to one-half in the capital Riga) and Estonia (nearly one-quarter of the total population). The Russian president got many things wrong about invading Ukrainebut not everything. Baltic leaders have long pushed for a permanent basing of U.S. troops, seeing it as the ultimate deterrent against a Russian invasion. [23], Possible threats to energy security include, firstly, a major risk of energy supply disruption. Forests cover over half the landmass of Estonia, Devonian sandstone cliffs in Gauja National Park, Latvia's largest and oldest national park, Jgala waterfall is the highest natural waterfall in Estonia, Gastilionys cliffs in Kauno Marios Regional Park near Kaunas, View from the Bilioniai forthill in Lithuania, Sand dunes of the Curonian Spit near Nida, which are the highest drifting sand dunes in Europe (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Many Estonians are non-religious or atheist. Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on Intelligence collection and sharing are hampered by the gulf between NATO and non-NATO members. Lithuania is the most populous of the Baltic States, with a population of just under 2.7 million. Most Latvians are Christian, mainly belonging to the Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and East Orthodox churches. Neighboring Norway, though not a littoral state, is closely involved in Baltic Sea security through its logistical, intelligence, and military aviation capabilities. Current exercises in the region are too small, too well scripted, and too devoid of complexity. Answer (1 of 5): The Baltic countries are 3 states that are in the northeastern region of Europe. The capital and largest city of Estonia is Talinn, which is located on the countrys northern coast, on the Gulf of Finland. Throughout the 1990s privatization accelerated, national currencies were reintroduced, and non-Russian foreign investment increased. Evening roundup with our editors favorite stories of the day. Numerous Swedish loanwords have made it into the Estonian language; it was under the Swedish rule that schools were established and education propagated in the 17th century. The German occupation lasted until late 1944 (in Courland, until early 1945), when the countries were reoccupied by the Red Army and Soviet rule was re-established, with the passive agreement of the United States and Britain (see Yalta Conference and Potsdam Agreement). "We are aware of the fact that the Russian tanks, which are currently burning in Ukraine, were intended for a large-scale invasion of NATO countries, including Estonia . In addition, at least 75,000 were sent to Gulags. On September 10, 20 Baltic-American leaders presented a petition signed by 25,000 Baltic-Americans from 50 states to White House officials urging the Bush administration to support NATO membership for the Baltics.This was the day before the terrorist attacks of 9-11. And how might that be impacting the world? Toggle Relations with NATO member states subsection 6.1 Greece. They diversified their oil import suppliers due to shutdown of Druzhba gas pipeline in 2006 and increased the share of renewable sources in total energy production with the help of the EU policies. In the wake of this campaign, Gorbachev's government had privately concluded that the departure of the Baltic republics had become "inevitable". Because the three countries had been independent nations prior to their occupation by the Soviet Union, there was a strong feeling of national identity (often labeled "bourgeois nationalism" by the Communist Party) and popular resentment towards the imposed Soviet rule in the three countries, in combination with Soviet cultural policy, which employed superficial multiculturalism (in order for the Soviet Union to appear as a multinational union based on the free will of its peoples) in limits allowed by the communist "internationalist" (but in effect pro-Russification) ideology and under tight control of the Communist Party (those of the Baltic nationals who crossed the line were called "bourgeois nationalists" and repressed). The Baltic nations are already protected by NATOs commitment to defend its members in the event of an attack. Clerc, Louis; Glover, Nikolas; Jordan, Paul, eds. He would later be assassinated, but the political entity he created would endure. NATO - Topic: NATO-Russia relations: the facts Many here worry that if Ukraine falls, they might be next. Life expectancy in the Baltic states is comparatively low by European standards, as are the rates of natural increase, which were negative in all three countries at the beginning of the 21st century, owing in part to an aging population. In fact, in 1236, a chieftain named Mindaugas managed to unite some of the Lithuanian tribes into one political entity. Shortly after World War II began, Soviet leader Josef Stalin coerced the leaders of all three Baltic States into allowing Soviet troops into their countries. Swedish remains spoken in Estonia, particularly the Estonian Swedish dialect of the Estonian Swedes of northern Estonia and the islands (though many fled to Sweden as the USSR invaded and re-occupied Estonia in 1944). Washingtons commitment to Taiwan hasnt been sold to the American public. The battle was fought in 1410during the PolishLithuanianTeutonic War. All three Baltic countries are classified as high-income economies by the World Bank and maintain a very high Human Development Index. [38] Terms related to modern name Baltic appear in ancient texts, but had fallen into disuse until reappearing as the adjective Baltisch in German, from which it was adopted in other languages. The Estonian (and Livonian) peoples, who are considered Finnic peoples, speak languages of the Finno-Ugric family and constitute the core of the southern branch of the Baltic Finns. In Latvia exists a small community of Finnic people related to the Estonians, composed of only 250 people, known as Livonians, and they live in the so-called Livonian Coast. In addition, Bulgaria and Poland have expelled two and three Russians respectively, prompting Moscow to show the door to two Bulgarians and five Poles. Sending this force to the alliance's most exposed members in Eastern Europe, even though NATO has no intention of taking part in the war, is a powerful, tangible indicator of NATO's commitment . Relations between the United States and China seem to be getting frostier by the day. The Baltic states have been sounding the alarm since the 1990s. Speaks French, Russian and (rusty) German and Polish. During the interwar period the three countries as well as Finland and Poland sometimes were collectively referred to as limitrophe states (from French language), as they together formed a "rim" along the western border of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union. During the Middle Ages, the Baltic peoples were divided into at least eight distinguishable groups. Ukraine: the history behind Russia's claim that Nato promised not to Unlike Ukraine, they had joined NATO in the early 2000s, and now enjoy the. They were also part of what Georges Clemenceau considered a strategic cordon sanitaire, the entire territory from Finland in the north to Romania in the south, between Western and Central Europe and potential Bolshevik territorial ambitions. These deployments need to be on a war-fighting footing. Many think that NATOs presence in the region has gone far enough already. Politicians and decision-makers in the region still have radically different threat assessments. Watchthe conversation onFP Live, the magazines forum for live journalism, orreada condensed transcript. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [18] Other exceptions included Sweden, which was the first Western country, and one of the very few to ever do so, to recognize the incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union as lawful.[19]. There are other countries that border the Baltic Sea, such as Poland, Finland, and Sweden, but when people refer to the Baltic States, they are usually just referring to the three countries that sit on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, which are Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. up as tough on Beijing, even seeking to contain the rise of the worlds second-biggest economy. Baltics, in Russia's Shadow, Demand Tougher Stance From West [4][5], All three Baltic countries experienced a period of authoritarian rule by a head of state who had come to power after a bloodless coup: Antanas Smetona in Lithuania (19261940), Krlis Ulmanis in Latvia (19341940), and Konstantin Pts during the "era of silence" (19341938) in Estonia, respectively. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Since the decline of Russian influence and integration into the European Union economy, English has become the most popular second language in the Baltic states. Three of NATO's members are nuclear weapons states: France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Delivered Thursday. Denmark has upended its previous defense posture, which discounted any need for territorial and regional defense. In the 20th century, the United States refused to recognize the Soviet Union's claim on Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia and supported the restoration of their independence in 1991. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. Estonian elections: conquered by Russia for centuries, why this Baltic Road closures were common, as were bouts of deafening nighttime noise. The Baltic Council of Ministers was established on 13 June 1994 to facilitate intergovernmental cooperation. So unused to being challenged, the United States has become so filled with anxiety over China that sober responses are becoming nearly impossible. Washington jealously guards its best intelligencefor example, anything involving Russian submarines. Join the conversation on this and other recent Foreign Policy articles when you subscribe now. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with a combined population of only about six million people have long been seen as some of NATOs most vulnerable nations. standing, Ukrainians are determined to keep fighting, and the West has so far stayed resolute in its support of Ukraine. Jessica Chen Weiss, formerly a senior advisor for policy planning at the State Department under the Biden administration, makes the case that the United States is becoming consumed by competition with China, a strategy that could lead to dangerous conflict. the Krecik radar station located about 500 km from Iran, is in service as part of the NATO missile defence system. In autumn 2022, Estonia like other Baltic countries, restricted travel over its land borders from Russia. FPsRavi Agrawalsat down with U.S. Trade RepresentativeKatherine Tai, the Biden administrations top official tasked with mapping out and implementing the White Houses trade policy. [37] However, the modern names of the region and the sea that originate from this root, were not used in either of the two languages prior to the 19th century. The populations of each Baltic country belong to several Christian denominations, a reflection of historical circumstances. The Lithuanians managed to preserve their independence in part because their land, which consisted of dense forests and swamplands, was less accessible. The black hole in the regions security is Germany. Urban dwellers constitute more than two-thirds of the regions population, with the largest cities being Vilnius and Kaunas in southeastern Lithuania, the Latvian capital of Riga, and Tallinn on the northwestern coast of Estonia. During a Baltics tour earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said more permanent deployments were being considered as part of a larger review of NATOs defense posture. In the event of a Russian provocation, would Germany back deterrence or call for dialog and compromise? Enlargement of NATO - Wikipedia Each country guards its national decision-making jealously. The Baltic states are inhabited by several ethnic minorities: in Latvia: 33.0% (including 25.4% Russian, 3.3% Belarusian, 2.2% Ukrainian, and 2.1% Polish),[29] in Estonia: 27.6%[30] and in Lithuania: 12.2% (including 5.6% Polish and 4.5% Russian).[31]. Its not clear what a more permanent NATO presence in the Baltics would entail in terms of weapons. [38][needs update], Since the Middle Ages, the Baltic Sea has appeared on maps in Germanic languages as the equivalent of 'East Sea': German: Ostsee, Danish: stersen, Dutch: Oostzee, Swedish: stersjn, etc. (thesis, University of Connecticut, 2013). Washington is right to counter Iran's brutality at home and abroad, but that shouldn't stop it from engaging with an adversary to preserve regional peace. One-stop digest of politics, economics, and culture. rs worth well over $400 billion. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. IR scholars think Moscow is likely to use military force, but they suggest Washington should exercise restraint. [23] Other studies add other indicators to this list: diversification of energy suppliers, energy import dependence and vulnerability of political system. Baltic States - WorldAtlas [23], Estonia usually was the best performing country in terms of energy security, but new assessment shows that even though Estonia has the highest share of renewables in the energy production, its energy economy has been still characterized by high rates of carbon intensity. Confused yet? NATOs small air policing deploymenttypically just four warplanes based in Estonia or Lithuaniais there to deal with peacetime problems, such as airspace intrusions, not to fight off the Russian Air Force. Proper intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilitieswhich combine drone, sensor, and satellite capabilities with modern computing powercreate an unblinking eye that can look deep inside Russia, identifying what Kremlin forces are doing long before a crisis actually develops. After Russia's Ukraine Invasion, Baltics Push for Permanent NATO Presence [16] This process contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, setting a precedent for the other Soviet republics to secede from the USSR. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. All the Baltic states were once republics of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the 21st century, the titular nationalities of Lithuania and Estonia accounted for about four-fifths and two-thirds of the countries populations, respectively, while ethnic Latvians made up just less than three-fifths of their nations population. Explore the benefits included in your subscription. Eva-Maria Liimets, Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, hopes a NATO meeting in June will "make permanent decisions" about how to strengthen Baltic security. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were considered to be under Soviet occupation by the United States, the United Kingdom,[13] Canada, NATO, and many other countries and international organizations. Other countries in the region see them as a grave threat, entrenching the Kremlins dominance of the regions energy supply. Author of. Russian tanks were intended for invasion of NATO countries, Estonian FM The Baltic States subsequently came under Nazi occupation, but by 1945, the Soviets retook the Baltics, which again became part of the USSR. Even within NATO, there are inner and outer circles. The climate is cool and damp, with greater rainfall in the interior uplands than along the coast. There is now little doubt that Putin failed in his initial goals: Kyiv is still Show morestanding, Ukrainians are determined to keep fighting, and the West has so far stayed resolute in its support of Ukraine. Is the Biden administrations China policy too hawkish? Last week, Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks described Germanys approach as immoral and hypocritical.. Doing that for the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuaniathree thinly populated states squeezed between Russia,. Did The West Promise Moscow That NATO Would Not Expand? Well, It's