“Reclaiming a good ally status” - New peer-reviewed article by IFZO scholar

What are the coping strategies of small states at a time when their great power ally questions its security guarantees? In his latest peer-reviewed article, written for European Security journal, IFZO postdoc Dr. Andris Banka tackles this question by scrutinizing the foreign policy choices of the three Baltic states and their navigation of the Trump presidency.

His analysis lends evidence to the fact that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have not sought a strategic reorientation away from Washington. Even with a NATO-sceptic US President in the White House, the United States continues to be their most prized ally. Unlike some EU countries, such as Germany and France, that have called for carving out of a more independent strategic course for Europe, the Baltic governments continue to see their fortunes and futures deeply intertwined with that of the United States.

Banka says that in order to remain in the “good graces” of the United States, the Baltic republics have strived to gain a loyal and trustworthy partner’s reputation by increasing their defence spending and joining the US on a foreign battlefield.

The full version article is available here: https://doi.org/10.1080/09662839.2020.1840361