Since the conflict in Ukraine and Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 the Baltic states fear of a military attack by Russia is increasing. Adding to this fear is a growing military presence in the region. Moscow is showing off its military vessels while NATO is conducting large scale manoeuvres close to the Russian border. The Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung together with the Latvia-based Freedom and Solidarity Foundation invited international researchers in order to analyse the current situation and discuss the question whether we are witnessing mere signs of military muscle flexing or an actual threat to the Baltic states.
IFSH peace researcher Ulrich Kühn gave an assessment on the possible consequences for the Baltic area should a conflict between NATO and Russia occur. He further offered ideas for arms control approaches that would enhance the security of NATOs eastern allies while at the same time including Moscow’s concerns.
You can find the summary of the key messages from the conference here.