From the Cold War’s End to the Ukraine Crisis: NATO’s Enduring Value for Estonia’s Security Policy

Abstract

Upon restoring its independence in 1991, Estonia immediately looked westwards. There was a strong societal consensus to leave the Soviet legacy behind as quickly as possible and ‘return to Europe’. The lesson of history that guided Estonian foreign and security policymakers was the failure of neutrality to save Estonia from Soviet military occupation in 1940. The conclusion drawn from this experience was to never again to be alone without allies. The consistent strategic goal, as formulated by Estonia’s first president, Lennart Meri, has been to ensure Estonia’s security by embedding the country as deeply and tightly as possible in international (especially Western) institutions and organizations. That same strategy is equally relevant today.