In the latter half of the 1980s, however, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachevs policies of liberalization and greater freedom allowed the Baltic peoples to reassert their independence. Russia. All three unitary republics, which simultaneously joined the European Union on 1 May 2004, share EET/EEST time zone schedules and the euro currency. In fact, in 1236, a chieftain named Mindaugas managed to unite some of the Lithuanian tribes into one political entity. Delivered Wednesday. Both Western and Eastern Christianity had been introduced by the end of the first millennium. 02/10/2022. The Baltic states [a] or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Through the efforts of the Polish authorities in recent years, contacts with Russia have been virtually frozen, a shameful war with Soviet monuments has been launched, attempts are being made to torpedo Russian energy projects, a large-scale anti-Russian information campaign is being carried out, history is being falsified, and anti-Russian sanctions by the West are endlessly prolonged, it said. Many Estonians are non-religious or atheist. The Baltic states[a] or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Washingtons commitment to Taiwan hasnt been sold to the American public. In late January, U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters arrived in Estonia as part of a wide-ranging reassurance effort. The Finno-Ugric tribes would eventually become the Estonians. The Baltic peoples efforts paid off, however, as by the beginning of the 21st century, the three countries enjoyed sustained economic growth, and would soon be admitted to both NATO and the European Union. These two non-NATO countries have close military ties with each other as well as NATO. 6.3 France. Daniel Milo, senior adviser at Bratislava-based policy institute GLOBSEC, said the combined moves suggested greater self-confidence on the part of the Central Europeans and could have implications for areas such an energy cooperation, where the region has until now been heavily dependent on Russia. Moreover, several routes of oil delivery also have been sustained from Soviet times: These are ports in Ventspils, Butinge and Tallinn. Omissions? This article covers the history of the region from antiquity to the post-Soviet period. In terms of religion, just over half of Estonians are unaffiliated Christians. Putin still fumes over the Baltics decision to join NATO, seeing it as a betrayal of Western promises. Its capital, Vilnius, is at the forefront of Western support for Kiev. bleak warnings of the Baltic states about President . In June 1940, the Red Army occupied all of the territory of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and installed new, pro-Soviet puppet governments. Politicians and decision-makers in the region still have radically different threat assessments. Vilkauskaite, Dovile O. Apart from the indigenous languages, German was the dominant language in Estonia and Latvia in academics, professional life, and upper society from the 13th century until World War I. During a Baltics tour earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said more permanent deployments were being considered as part of a larger review of NATOs defense posture. Planners are given many months to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Additional information on the regions physical and human geography can be found in the article Europe. It had, however, been embroiled in a bloody civil war back in 1918, something that had not happened in the Baltic states. Russian was the most commonly studied foreign language at all levels of schooling during the period of Soviet rule in 19441991. VILNIUS, April 23 (Reuters) - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on Friday joined a fast-growing list of NATO and EU members demanding the removal of Russian diplomats for alleged spying, in actions. Especially, the high share of renewables were introduced to the energy production of Latvia, that can be explained by the state's geographical location and favorable natural conditions. New macroeconomic requirements have arisen for them; the Maastricht criteria became obligatory and later the Stability and Growth Pact set stricter rules through national legislation by implementing the regulations and directives of the Sixpack, because the financial crisis was a shocking milestone.[22]. Vikings from Scandinavia, Slavs from the east, and Germanics from the west conquered most of the territory that now comprises the Baltic States, except Lithuania. NATO's Article 5 pledges the alliance to defend its members. What does that mean for trade and globalization? Flights were already banned from Russia as part of an EU-wide decision. 5,841,000. The Baltic region is dotted with more than 7,000 lakes and countless peat bogs, swamps, and marshes. The Biden administration has passed landmark legislations such as theInflation Reduction Act(IRA) and theCHIPS and Science Act, which provide subsidies in clean energy and semiconductoShow morers worth well over $400 billion. The current divide between Lutheranism to the north and Catholicism to the south is the remnant of Swedish and Polish hegemony, respectively, with Orthodox Christianity remaining the dominant religion among Russian and other East Slavic minorities. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were considered to be under Soviet occupation by the United States, the United Kingdom,[13] Canada, NATO, and many other countries and international organizations. For example, there is the British-U.S. intelligence-sharing agreement, which also includes the other so-called Five Eyes: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. And how might that be impacting the world? Artis Pabriks, Latvia's Minister of Defense, tells VOA that if Russia does not like NATO expansion, then Moscow can stop threatening its smaller neighbors. What followed after the Baltic States regained their independence was economic turmoil, as these countries tried to transition their economies to capitalism. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. If we want to be ready from the first minute of any kind of attack to defend our citizens, and if you want to give citizens of Latvia the same feeling of security as the citizens of France, Britain, Spain, (and) Germanythen there must be this permanent presence and more firepower and capabilities, Latvian Minister of Defense Artis Pabriks told VOA in an interview. Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on. Finland is the standout example of this, with military conscription, extensive training for civilian decision-makers, counter-disinformation training in schools, and regular exercises. But beyond the goals of one leader in Moscow, it is also clear that Ukraine has suffered horrors of a historic nature. [37] However, the modern names of the region and the sea that originate from this root, were not used in either of the two languages prior to the 19th century. The same legal interpretation is shared by the United States, the United Kingdom, and most other Western democracies,[citation needed] who held the forcible incorporation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the Soviet Union to be illegal. NATO has 12 original founding member states. Battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko. NATO also has overwhelming air power superiority that would factor into any battle with Russia in the Baltics, Plesch pointed out. NATO established a plan to defend the Baltic states after the Russian annexation of the Crimea in . "From Empire to Independence: The Curious Case of the Baltic States 1917-1922." Shortly thereafter, the parliaments of the three Baltic States proclaimed the independence of their respective countries. All are part of the European Union (EU) and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). On 8 November 1991, the Baltic Assembly, which includes 15 to 20 MPs from each parliament, was established to facilitate inter-parliamentary cooperation. There are other countries that border the Baltic Sea, such as Poland, Finland, and Sweden, but when people refer to the Baltic States, they are usually just referring to the three countries that sit on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, which are Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Years of cost-cutting, timidity, and wishful thinking by NATO governments make it harder. After the end of the Cold War, NATO added 14 more members from 1999 to 2020. Lithuania, Latvia and the third Baltic nation, Estonia, with fellow NATO members and other Western countries have provided aid to Ukraine and harshly sanctioned Russia since it invaded the. [24], Even now being a part of the European Union, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are still considered as the most vulnerable EU member states in the energy sphere. Currently, U.S. troops are part of NATO's Baltic rotational battlegroups, which are led by Germany, Britain, and Canada. Economically, parallel with political changes and a transition to democracy as a rule of law states the nations' previous command economies were transformed via the legislation into market economies, and set up or renewed the major macroeconomic factors: budgetary rules, national audit, national currency and central bank. Many here worry that if Ukraine falls, they might be next. Forests cover over half the landmass of Estonia, Devonian sandstone cliffs in Gauja National Park, Latvia's largest and oldest national park, Jgala waterfall is the highest natural waterfall in Estonia, Gastilionys cliffs in Kauno Marios Regional Park near Kaunas, View from the Bilioniai forthill in Lithuania, Sand dunes of the Curonian Spit near Nida, which are the highest drifting sand dunes in Europe (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Latvia performed the best according to all indicators. Although this may give the Kremlin clues about sources, methods, and targeting, the benefits in terms of deterrence, political will, and societal resilience are much greater. In accordance with a secret protocol within the MolotovRibbentrop Pact of 1939 that divided Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence, the Soviet Army invaded eastern Poland in September 1939, and the Stalinist Soviet government coerced Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into "mutual assistance treaties" which granted USSR the right to establish military bases in these countries. Suwalki Gap: The. Russian cyberattacks and sub-threshold warfare are already evident; Sweden, for example, is worried by mysterious drone flights. This reality gives the alliance flexibility with regard to NRFAs terms, she told VOA by email. Trees that adapt to the often poorly drained soil are common, such as birches and conifers. Experts are mixed when it comes to predicting whether NATO will establish a permanent presence in the Baltics anytime soon. A highly productive region for the former U.S.S.R., the Baltic states catered to economies of scale in output and regional specialization in industryfor example, manufacturing electric motors, machine tools, and radio receivers. 1941 saw the invasion and occupation of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia by Nazi Germany, before the Red Army re-conquered the territory in 19441945, after which the Soviet Union maintained control over the three countries until 1991.