Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. 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). [43], LithuaniaGitanas NausdaPresident of Lithuania, EstoniaKaja KallasPrime Minister of Estonia, LatviaKrijnis KariPrime Minister of Latvia, LithuaniaIngrida imonytPrime Minister of Lithuania. The Estonians are a Finnic people, which means that they are strongly related to the Finns, as is their language, Estonian. 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. [38] This change was a result of the Baltic German elite adopting terms derived from Baltisch to refer to themselves.[39][40]. New macroeconomic requirements have arisen for them; the Maastricht criteria became obligatory and later the Stability and Growth Pact set stricter rules through national legislation by implementing the regulations and directives of the Sixpack, because the financial crisis was a shocking milestone.[22]. You may opt out at any time. In the United States this momentous historical decision is commonly framed either as one of the greatest U.S. foreign policy achievements or an ill-advised move that diluted the alliance by taking on indefensible nations. 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. The Latvians also were considerably Germanized, and the majority of both the Estonians and the Latvians belong to the Lutheran church. The Baltic countries were more interested in gaining access to the rest of the European market. 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. These differing threat assessments and political approaches are obstacles to everything else. The Baltic region is dotted with more than 7,000 lakes and countless peat bogs, swamps, and marshes. In fact, in 1236, a chieftain named Mindaugas managed to unite some of the Lithuanian tribes into one political entity. 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. Omissions? The latest news, analysis, and data from the country each week. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. What followed after the Baltic States regained their independence was economic turmoil, as these countries tried to transition their economies to capitalism. [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. This let Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians preserve a high degree of Europe-oriented national identity. Watch the conversation or read the condensed transcript. 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. Large parts of the Baltic countries were controlled by the Russian central government until the 1917 Russian Revolution and the final stages of World War I in 1918, when Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania gained their sovereignty. There is also frequent cooperation in foreign and security policy, defence, energy, and transportation. This article is about the geopolitical grouping. The two other headquarters are in Poland. In August 2001, Latvia and Estonia agreed to jointly purchase long-range radars from Lockheed Martin. In Cold War West Germany, for example, British and U.S. tanks would thunder across farmland, crushing hedges and ruining crops. All too often, the highlight is a distinguished visitor day closer to a theatrical performance than a training event, where participants identify problems by experiencing them. But this independence was short-lived. 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. The Baltic States also had to develop new laws and constitutions so that they could make themselves into democratic states. Estonia adopted the euro currency in January 2011, Latvia in January 2014, and Lithuania in January 2015. And how might that be impacting the world? When WWI ended, the Baltic peoples fought off attempts by the newly-created Soviet Union to take back control of their territory, and in 1920, the Soviets signed treaties with Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, recognizing their independence. EPA-EFE/Sergey Dolzhenko. That caused a furor in Polandbut the brickbats should have been bouquets. The Lithuanians managed to preserve their independence in part because their land, which consisted of dense forests and swamplands, was less accessible. Two groups called the Samogitians and the Aukstaiciai became the Lithuanians, and five other groups would form the modern-day Latvian nation. 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. World Donald Trump NATO Baltics Estonia. That was a defensibleif optimisticassumption in the 1990s. Military Another factor: the NRFA is not a legally binding document, added Mary Elise Sarotte, a Cold War historian and professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. But with NATO and Russia each blaming the other for creating instability in Eastern Europe, that may be a difficult task. While separate peoples with their own customs and traditions, historical factors have introduced cultural similarities in and differences within them. The three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are the only NATO members directly bordering Russia apart from Norway yet they had no foreign NATO troops deployed on their soil until . In total, the Baltics now host about7,700 foreign NATO troops nearly twice as many compared to earlier this year. The three Baltic states are also cooperating in joint arms and equipment purchases in order to save money. Despite schooling available and administration conducted in local languages, Russian-speaking settlers were neither encouraged nor motivated to learn the official local languages, so knowledge of some Russian became a practical necessity in daily life in Russian-dominated urban areas. Most Lithuanians are adherents of Roman Catholicism. In fact, glacial deposits in the form of eskers, moraines, and drumlins occur in profusion and tend to disrupt the drainage pattern, which results in frequent flooding. NATO is an Alliance that consists of 30 independent member countries. I agree to abide by FPs comment guidelines. 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 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. Estonia is the northernmost of the Baltic States. Though Estonia is an important producer of oil shale, a large share of mineral and energy resources is imported. About 10% of the adult Baltic population were deported or sent to labor camps. Moscows aggression may have permanently changed Nordic security debates. Washingtons commitment to Taiwan hasnt been sold to the American public. Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on These moves, though desirable, are belated and insufficient. These three countries each have their own distinct language and culture, however, their histories often overlap. https://www.britannica.com/place/Baltic-states, Stanford Libraries - The Baltic Way - The Baltic States 19182018, Research and Development Corporation - The Baltic States and NATO Membership, The Heritage Foundation - The Baltic States: The United States Must Be Prepared to Fulfill Its NATO Treaty Obligations, Baltic states - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Russians place flowers at burnt out tanks in Baltic cities, In Baltics, Poland, grassroots groups strive to help Ukraine, Baltic leaders: Olympic boycott possible if Russians compete. Opportunistic firms in Asia and Europe have already begun to relocate investments to the United States. 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. The area that now constitutes the Baltic States was first inhabited by Finno-Ugric tribes. the Krecik radar station located about 500 km from Iran, is in service as part of the NATO missile defence system. Its not clear what a more permanent NATO presence in the Baltics would entail in terms of weapons. Interview with VOA on March 14, 2022. The Baltic States subsequently came under Nazi occupation, but by 1945, the Soviets retook the Baltics, which again became part of the USSR. The command structure is like a bowl of spaghetti. Combined, Poland plus the Nordic countries and three Baltic states have a greater GDP than Russias. read more. In all three countries simultaneously, rigged elections (in which only pro-Stalinist candidates were allowed to run) were staged in July 1940, the newly assembled "parliaments" in each of the three countries then unanimously applied to join the Soviet Union, and in August 1940 were incorporated into the USSR as the Estonian SSR, Latvian SSR, and Lithuanian SSR. This is largely due to a Soviet policy of encouraging the mass immigration of Russian workers to the country. cohesion and regional cooperation among the Baltic states. Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on. Many here worry that if Ukraine falls, they might be next. Solving this requires more than a one-off, reactive deployment. [26] Therefore, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania play a significant role not only in consuming, but also in distribution of Russian energy fuels extracting transaction fees. Troops were withdrawn from the region (starting from Lithuania) from August 1993. Both Western and Eastern Christianity had been introduced by the end of the first millennium. Compared with other regional groupings in Europe, such as the Nordic Council or Visegrd Group, Baltic cooperation is rather limited. What will another year of war look like? Rinkvis wants a permanent NATO presence on the alliances eastern flank. The spy rows have come at a time of acute tensions between Russia and the West, including over Ukraine and over the fate of opposition Russian leader Alexei Navalny, who on Friday announced he was ending a three-week hunger strike in jail. 6.4 Baltic . Since 2021, the tiny Baltic nation of Lithuania has come up against three authoritarian regimes: Belarus, China, and Russia. On the surface, everything looks fine. [citation needed]. "Russia perhaps needs to see this is not an isolated act of a small country of 10 million people (the Czech Republic) but that there is true sense of solidarity across the EU or NATO," he said. Germany has backed the two Nord Stream natural gas pipelines along the Baltic seabed. Join FPs Ravi Agrawal for a frank discussion about the Biden administrations China policy and alternatives that it ought to consider. In the wake of this campaign, Gorbachev's government had privately concluded that the departure of the Baltic republics had become "inevitable". [14] During the Cold War, Lithuania and Latvia maintained legations in Washington DC, while Estonia had a mission in New York City. NEW FOR SUBSCRIBERS: "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," he said. The NATO presence was further strengthened this year after Russia attacked Ukraine. Ukrainian civilians are given military training in Kyiv, February 2022. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The main trading partners outside the region are Russia, Germany, Finland, and Sweden. The Baltics are the only former Soviet states that have joined the EU and NATO, and provided an example to the likes of Ukraine over a possible route to European integration. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The term Baltic countries (or lands, or states) was, until the early 20th century, used in the context of countries neighbouring the Baltic Sea: Sweden and Denmark, sometimes also Germany and the Russian Empire. The Baltic region is not rich in natural resources. Even within NATO, there are inner and outer circles. In terms of religion, just over half of Estonians are unaffiliated Christians. [citation needed] During the occupation the Nazi authorities carried out ghettoisations and mass killings of the Jewish populations in Lithuania and Latvia. That reflects a much deeper issue: Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, NATO has been an organization designed for peace, not war. The Baltic peoples efforts paid off, however, as by the beginning of the 21st century, the three countries enjoyed sustained economic growth, and would soon be admitted to both NATO and the European Union. Baltic states, northeastern region of Europe containing the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. [23] Other studies add other indicators to this list: diversification of energy suppliers, energy import dependence and vulnerability of political system. Moreover, several routes of oil delivery also have been sustained from Soviet times: These are ports in Ventspils, Butinge and Tallinn. Is that what is going to satisfy (Baltic) security concerns? Plesch asked in an interview with VOA. Among the animals that inhabit the region are elk, boar, roe deer, wolves, hares, and badgers. Fifteen years ago, NATO opened its doors to the Baltic states. Answer (1 of 5): The Baltic countries are 3 states that are in the northeastern region of Europe. [39] During the 19th century, Baltic started to supersede Ostsee as the name for the region. Meanwhile, these economies were stabilised, and in 2004 all of them joined the European Union. For other uses, see, The first period of independence, 19181940, Third Partition of PolishLithuanian Commonwealth, German occupation of Lithuania during World War II, German occupation of Latvia during World War II, German occupation of Estonia during World War II, occupied all of the territory of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, European Union climate and energy package, List of cities in the Baltic states by population, Soviet deportation from the Baltics in 1941, Soviet deportation from the Baltics in 1949, "Why did Finland remain a democracy between the two World Wars, whereas the Baltic States developed authoritarian regimes? As the Russian military buildup around Ukraine raises fears of a broader East-West security crisis, NATO allies are hastening to bolster the Baltic states defenses while non-NATO members Sweden and Finland are tightening their ties with the alliance. 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. 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. These deployments need to be on a war-fighting footing. Years of cost-cutting, timidity, and wishful thinking by NATO governments make it harder. Further up the hierarchy, NATOs main land forces headquarters is in the Netherlandsbut splits taking charge on a six-month rotating basis with its naval counterpart in Naples, Italy. Even if Moscow holds onto territory, the war has wrecked its future. Most Latvians are Christian, mainly belonging to the Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and East Orthodox churches. The climate is cool and damp, with greater rainfall in the interior uplands than along the coast. Low energy supplies, inflationary prices, and an economic collapse in Russia contributed to an energy crisis in the Baltics in the 1990s. Clerc, Louis; Glover, Nikolas; Jordan, Paul, eds. Country by country, this page offers an overview of the links to national information servers and to the website of national delegations to NATO. The best way to increase the internal and external credibility of defense is to practice using difficult scenarios in real time. [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. 6.3 France. By David Brennan On 10/15/21 at 7:05 AM EDT. The battle was fought in 1410during the PolishLithuanianTeutonic War. [23] It was stated that from 2008, Baltic states experiences a positive change in their energy security score. At least formally, most Western democracies never considered the three Baltic states to be constituent parts of the Soviet Union. All of these issues involving NATO and the Baltic littoral states are coming to a head in the current standoff with Russia. A curated selection of our very best long reads. Indeed, the Baltic Sea lies mostly to the east of Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. After the Baltic states had restored their independence, integration with Western Europe became a major strategic goal. Rich countries that are farther from the front line should pay to have them where they matter most. In August 1940, all three Baltic States were made Soviet republics, which meant that they became part of the USSR. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Lithuanias official language is Lithuanian, which is an East Baltic language related to Latvian. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. But its not just the United States. The three countries were independent until the outbreak of World War II. Test yourself on the week of Feb. 25: Nigeria votes, Finland builds a border wall, and Israel escalates repression. In Baltics, Poland, grassroots groups strive to help Ukraine Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia three states on NATO's eastern flank scarred by decades of Soviet-era occupation have been among the top donors to Kyiv Show More Summary Read a brief summary of this topic Baltic states Through the efforts of the Polish authorities in recent years, contacts with Russia have been virtually frozen, a shameful war with Soviet monuments has been launched, attempts are being made to torpedo Russian energy projects, a large-scale anti-Russian information campaign is being carried out, history is being falsified, and anti-Russian sanctions by the West are endlessly prolonged, it said. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Baltic states struggled to make a transition to a market economy from the system of Soviet national planning that had been in place since the end of World War II. Speaks French, Russian and (rusty) German and Polish. And I havent even mentioned the five-nation Nordic Defence Cooperation framework, the French-led European Intervention Initiative, and, of course, the European Unions own nascent defense efforts: battle groups that mainly exist on paper. This reality gives the alliance flexibility with regard to NRFAs terms, she told VOA by email. Around this time, Poles eclipsed Russians as the largest minority in Lithuania. Albania. Nobody in Polandor, for that matter, anyone else involved in the regions securitywould claim privately that defenses against Russia are adequate. The peoples in the Baltic states have together inhabited the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea for millennia, although not always peacefully in ancient times, over which period their populations, Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian, have remained remarkably stable within the approximate territorial boundaries of the current Baltic states. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Explore this interactive map to discover how NATO works and how it responds to today's security challenges Their combined defense spending is around half of Russiasbut the Kremlin has global ambitions, such as space weapons, a blue-water navy, and a strategic nuclear arsenal. It had, however, been embroiled in a bloody civil war back in 1918, something that had not happened in the Baltic states.