Small state foreign policies : the Baltic states and Russia by professor Gediminas Vitkus

Abstract

The lecture overviews the Eastern/Russian policy options of the Baltic states, which due to their small size and geographical position between Europe and Russia have always had, and still have, two theoretical development possibilities – either to become a "bridge" between the East and the West, or to remain a periphery, an eastern border outpost of Europe. Nowadays it looks that the concept of the Baltic states as “a bridge” between the East and the West, between Europe and Russia has to be postponed for better times; meanwhile, at the top of the agenda, is less comfortable role of border states which have to arm and look for international assistance to counterbalance imminent threats.