The Baltic Rim Economies 1/2023 special issue focuses on geopolitics.
”After the end of the Cold War, Europe believed that a direct military threat was very unlikely on our continent. Many countries cut down on their national defence. Thus, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a rude awakening for many. War in Europe had become a reality.”
Timo Kivinen
General, Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces
Finland
”When the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen began its work in 2019, it labelled itself as the geopolitical Commission that would strengthen Europe’s role in the world. Most countries have very little leverage in European politics, let alone in world politics. They simply cannot manage alone in the current geopolitical environment, which is why collective European action is needed on all political levels. The EU is the most natural forum for this.”
Heljä Ossa
Researcher
National Defence University
Finland
”For most of the Baltic Sea region, geopolitics has not ’returned’ – it never left. Instead, it is the rest of Europe that is now catching up to a reality that has long been plain to many states around the Baltic. Europe’s security situation today is precisely the one that Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had long warned of – and were written off as troublemakers in the EU and NATO for doing so.”
Keir Giles
Senior Consulting Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme
Chatham House
UK
”Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has scattered Russians around the world. A new and vocal opposition has emerged, especially among Russian journalists who do not want to be isolated from events in Russia but instead wants to engage with their fellow citizens who have remained in the country.”
William E. Pomeranz
Director
Kennan Institute
USA
”After the end of the Cold War, Europe believed that a direct military threat was very unlikely on our continent. Many countries cut down on their national defence. Thus, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a rude awakening for many. War in Europe had become a reality.”
Timo Kivinen
General, Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces
Finland
”When the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen began its work in 2019, it labelled itself as the geopolitical Commission that would strengthen Europe’s role in the world. Most countries have very little leverage in European politics, let alone in world politics. They simply cannot manage alone in the current geopolitical environment, which is why collective European action is needed on all political levels. The EU is the most natural forum for this.”
Heljä Ossa
Researcher
National Defence University
Finland
”For most of the Baltic Sea region, geopolitics has not ’returned’ – it never left. Instead, it is the rest of Europe that is now catching up to a reality that has long been plain to many states around the Baltic. Europe’s security situation today is precisely the one that Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had long warned of – and were written off as troublemakers in the EU and NATO for doing so.”
Keir Giles
Senior Consulting Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme
Chatham House
UK
”Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has scattered Russians around the world. A new and vocal opposition has emerged, especially among Russian journalists who do not want to be isolated from events in Russia but instead wants to engage with their fellow citizens who have remained in the country.”
William E. Pomeranz
Director
Kennan Institute
USA
