Security of Poland and the Baltic States in context of neighbourhood with Russia and Belarus

Beschreibung

The geopolitical location of Poland and the Baltic States has always been both a source of opportunity and vulnerability. Situated on the eastern flank of the European Union and NATO, these countries serve as a frontier between the democratic West and East. Their proximity to Russia and Belarus shapes not only their foreign and security policies but also their broader political and societal development. Geography in this case is not neutral; it is charged with historical tensions, shifting alliances, and the enduring challenge of safeguarding sovereignty in the shadow of more powerful neighbours.

The threats emanating from Russia and Belarus today are multidimensional. Beyond the obvious military risks, they include hybrid challenges such as disinformation campaigns, migration crises, and political pressure designed to destabilize European unity. These threats do not affect Poland and the Baltic States in isolation – they reverberate across the European Union and NATO, testing the resilience of collective security structures. In this sense, the security of these states is inseparable from the security of Europe as a whole.

From the introduction