America, the Baltic States and the making of an unlikely Security Alliance

Given the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the 90s, how did the three Baltic republics manage to join NATO? What arguments did they deploy to overcome the deep opposition that existed both in Europe and the United States? The book, America, the Baltic States and the Making of an Unlikely Security Alliance, reckons with these questions and peels back the many layers of the Baltic transatlantic journey. Drawing upon sizable archival material and interviews with senior officials, the manuscript captures numerous contradictions, setbacks, and disappointments that had to be overcome on both sides of the Atlantic for these ties to mature into a formal treaty alliance.

Turning to current affairs, it is clear that America’s staying power on the European continent, and NATO’s eastern flank in particular, has come under significant duress. As expressed by both Democrats and Republicans, Washington’s vital national interests are, first and foremost, tied to developments in the Indo-Pacific, not Europe. Moreover, US President Donald Trump’s personal instincts have consistently gravitated toward unwinding America’s extensive alliance networks. Amid these accumulating pressures, can NATO still be revamped to meet today’s challenges? Is the United States role as the lead security provider in Europe drawing to a close?

Dr Andris Banka will address these and other questions concerning the US-Baltic security alliance when he talks with Dr Donatas Kupciunas about his new book.

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