The Nordic Countries and the European Security and Defence Policy

23. Baltic perspectives on the EuropeanSecurity and Defence PolicyElzbieta TromerI. IntroductionGiven the choice between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the EuropeanSecurity and Defence Policy as providers of their national security, theBaltic states—Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—look to the USA. One reason istheir perception of Russia as a source of instability. Another is their lack of confidencein the ability of the ESDP to deal with present-day threats. Althoughthese three states are eager to be ‘normal’ members of the European Union andthus to join in its initiatives, their enthusiasm for the EU’s development of itsown military muscle is lukewarm. An EU with some military capability butwithout the USA’s military strength and leadership holds little promise forthem. Since the ESDP vehicle is already on the move, the Baltic states see theirmain function as ensuring coordination between the ESDP and NATO. Estonia,Latvia and Lithuania want to be ‘Atlanticists from within the ESDP’. 1The Baltic states see themselves as exposed to challenges similar to thoseconfronting the Nordic countries: notably the challenge of the new transatlanticdynamic, whichmakes it almost impossible to avoid taking sides between the US and Europe on anincreasing range of global and specific issues. Being torn in this way is bound to beespecially painful for Scandinavian [and Baltic] societies which have strong ties ofhistory, culture and values with both sides of the Atlantic, and which in strategic termsare relatively dependent both on American military and European economic strength. 2The Nordic countries are seen by the Baltic states as allies in this context. Beingjust as Atlanticist as the Baltic states, the Nordic countries could be of greathelp in countering what the former see as some EU members’ efforts to pushthe USA out of Europe. As one Baltic security policy maker expressed it: ‘Ifonly the Nordics had more courage to speak their minds, if only they wereyounger in spirit and less frightened of becoming “noise makers”.’ 31 The Baltic opinions quoted in this chapter were expressed in 20 interviews conducted by the author inEstonia, Latvia and Lithuania in ministries of defence and foreign affairs, in foreign embassies, and withlocal and foreign scholars in Nov.–Dec. 2004. They are also supported by conversations with students atthe Baltic Defence College in 2003–2004. Some additional interviews were conducted by the author inDenmark and Sweden.2 Bailes, A. J. K., ‘Transatlantic relations, Europe and Norden’, Talk, Reykjavík University, 8 Nov.2004.3 Interviews (note 1).