Baltics see conflict with Russia as only option — expert

Baltics see conflict with Russia as only option — expert The Baltic countries have a direct interest in maintaining constant tension in the region, as this allows them to receive funds in various areas both from NATO partners and from the general EU budget, Natalia Eremina saidMOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. The Baltic countries have a vested interest in remaining artificially at odds with Russia, as they receive funds from their EU and NATO partners for being anti-Russia and pro-Ukraine, serving as a "barrier" against Moscow in the region, Professor at the Department of European Studies at St. Petersburg State University, an expert at Russian Council on International Affairs Natalia Eremina told TASS. "It’s clear that the Baltic countries are striving to form a common coalition of support for Ukraine and secure it for the long term," the expert noted. "Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn are deliberately focusing NATO’s attention on their region, fearing that their partners will weaken their presence there (especially in the context of local crises elsewhere in the world)." This, according to Eremina, explains their willingness to "set financial records." "The Baltic countries are among Kiev’s most active sponsors. Following the Rammstein meetings, they pledged to annually allocate at least 0.25% of their GDP to the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces." In effect, these commitments translate into substantial tranches, the expert noted. Thus, she emphasized, Latvia has raised the bar from 70 to 100 million euros per year, Estonia also transfers over 100 million euros to Ukraine annually, and Lithuania has reserved over 200 million euros for various aid projects through 2026. "In addition to financial injections, these republics are sharing their own arsenals, supplying Kiev with dozens of Patria armored vehicles, artillery shells, and over 10,000 drones," she said. "Furthermore, the three countries have become involved in the training of Ukrainian personnel as part of the Nordic-Baltic Brigade initiative." "Therefore, the Baltic countries have a direct interest in maintaining constant tension in the region, as this allows them to receive funds in various areas both from NATO partners and from the general EU budget. They lobby for Kiev’s interests wherever they can, ensuring that decisions in Brussels are made in its favor, as this confirms their own status as a ‘barrier’ against 'Russian aggression,'" Eremina noted. At the same time, she said, "Baltic-Ukrainian harmony is relative." "However, starting from introducing sweeping restrictions on entry for Russian citizens to frantic modernization and the creation of military infrastructure, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are clearly demonstrating their willingness to remain NATO's submissive buffer zone. This means that the strategy of artificially maintaining tension and the course of provocations will not go away. These countries simply have no other options for survival," the expert concluded. 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