Subscribe to NEE
Text resize: A A
Change contrast
|
Subscribe to NEE

Tag: security

If the EU wants peace, it needs to prepare for war

An interview with Andrius Kubilius, the European Union’s Commissioner for Defence and Space. Interviewers: Joanna Maria Stolarek and Adam Reichardt

July 8, 2025 - Adam Reichardt Andrius Kubilius Joanna Maria Stolarek

Nordic-Baltic total defence: easier said than done

NATO’s newest members Finland and Sweden are already net contributors to Allied security. Well known for their military capability, the two countries also bring a new approach into the Alliance: total defence. While military cooperation is intensifying, civil defence and civil-military cooperation need to be better integrated into Nordic-Baltic regional defence.

Finland and Sweden are known for their so-called “total defence” approach to security, in which national defence is not only a task for the military but for the whole of society. The security concept was primarily developed for three reasons: their history outside of NATO, geographical proximity to the Soviet/Russian threat, and large territories with small populations.

July 8, 2025 - Eric Adamson Minna Ålander

Estonia’s road to comprehensive security

Since regaining independence in 1991, Estonia has undergone a rapid and determined transformation, embracing modernization, democracy and western integration. Yet its path to NATO membership and security reform was anything but straightforward, as it was shaped by regional geopolitics, western hesitations, and the lessons of Nordic neighbours.

Social modernization has been unrelenting since Estonia restored its independence in 1991. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Estonia, like many other post-communist aspirants for European Union and NATO membership, was criticized by its western neighbours for following an overly “modernist” security policy outlook. Re-establishing the armed forces and consolidating border controls dominated its early outlook sometimes at the expense of civil defence, crisis management and cooperative security then prioritized in the West’s shifting post-Cold War security mindset.

July 8, 2025 - Eoin Micheál McNamara

Breaking ranks or building resilience? The role of women in the Latvian and Estonian armed forces

The steps taken by both Estonia and Latvia demonstrate a strong commitment not only to implementing comprehensive defence, but also embedding robust gender equality policies as an essential component for their armed forces. While notable progress has been made, especially in Latvia, where female participation rates are among the highest in NATO, persistent structural gaps remain, particularly in leadership representation, gender-sensitive planning, and strategic vision.

Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and its continued hybrid operations have fundamentally reshaped the security environment in Europe, particularly for the Baltic states. The region now finds itself on the front line of a broader confrontation between authoritarian aggression and democratic resilience. This shift has forced both NATO and the Baltic nations to reassess their strategic posture and reinforce defence preparedness across all domains.

July 8, 2025 - Sigita Struberga

Balancing values and interests. NATO’s constrained engagement in the South Caucasus

Considering the current turmoil in transatlantic affairs, NATO's room for manoeuvre in the South Caucasus is constrained by broader geopolitical rivalries and its limited capacity to prioritize this region as well. Russia maintains a strong military and hybrid influence in the region, while Iran’s ambitions and China’s expanding economic footprint further limit western leverage.

It has been a while since the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative position for the Caucasus and Central Asia became vacant. Since its establishment in 2004, it has served as the eyes and the ears of the Alliance, facilitating the implementation of NATO’s foreign policy, monitoring internal political developments and reforms, and liaising with local governments.

July 8, 2025 - Nino Lezhava

Putin’s gift to NATO: the rise of the “New Nordic Shield”

When former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said, “You caused this. Look in the mirror” in 2022, he really hit the nail on the head. That simple statement perfectly sums up the massive shake-up in European security. Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was meant to fracture the Alliance and stop NATO from growing.

July 5, 2025 - Inga Samoškaitė

Ukraine as ground zero for a new European security challenge

Russia’s alliance with other authoritarian regimes has grown to the extent that it is now attempting to challenge the current world order. This is seen most clearly in the battlefields of Ukraine, where technological cooperation has produced new weapons like the Oreshnik missile.

March 27, 2025 - Maryna Venneri

“A bad peace… would be worse than no peace”

Interview with Admiral Giuseppe Dragone, the Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee. Interviewer: Robert Finch.

March 12, 2025 - Giuseppe Cavo Dragone Robert Finch

Baltic tensions rise as Russia’s “phantom fleet” strikes cables

As the threat of hybrid attacks in the Baltic Sea intensifies, NATO states are responding with Operation "Baltic Sentry".

February 26, 2025 - Théodore Donguy

Countering FIMI. A review of seven countries under the Beacon Project

Last year, the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Beacon Project did a comprehensive study to understand foreign information manipulation and interference in various European countries (as well as Taiwan). The results show different approaches, but also common lessons that can and should be applied to strengthen democratic resilience against growing these increasing threats.

January 15, 2025 - Oktawian Milewski

“Putin respects strength and exploits weakness”

Interview with Gerlinde Niehus, an independent NATO and international security expert and author. Interviewer: Aureliusz M. Pędziwol.

December 23, 2024 - Aureliusz M. Pędziwol Gerlinde Niehus

“There’s nowhere left for Russia to escalate beyond nuclear weapons, and they don’t want to use them any more than we do”

Interview with US Army Col. (ret) Liam Collins, the executive director of the Madison Policy Forum and a fellow at the New America Foundation. Interviewer: Robert Finch

December 6, 2024 - Liam Collins Robert Finch

Partners

Terms of Use | Cookie policy | Copyryight 2026 Kolegium Europy Wschodniej im. Jana Nowaka-Jeziorańskiego 31-153 Kraków
Agencja digital: hauerpower studio krakow.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. View more
Cookies settings
Accept
Decline
Privacy & Cookie policy
Privacy & Cookies policy
Cookies list
Cookie name Active
Poniższa Polityka Prywatności – klauzule informacyjne dotyczące przetwarzania danych osobowych w związku z korzystaniem z serwisu internetowego https://neweasterneurope.eu/ lub usług dostępnych za jego pośrednictwem Polityka Prywatności zawiera informacje wymagane przez przepisy Rozporządzenia Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady 2016/679 w sprawie ochrony osób fizycznych w związku z przetwarzaniem danych osobowych i w sprawie swobodnego przepływu takich danych oraz uchylenia dyrektywy 95/46/WE (RODO). Całość do przeczytania pod tym linkiem
Save settings
Cookies settings