Mažųjų valstybių saugumo ir gynybos politikos kaita po 2014 metų Krymo aneksijos - Lietuvos, Latvijos, Estijos atvejis /

The survival of small states in the international system always was a fundamental but problematic phenomenon. Although military, environmental and economic threats, political and social unrest can affect almost all states, but due to obvious reasons threats pose a greater risk to small states. In order to save the territory of the country and its sovereignty, the issue of security was crucial for the 3 states, i.e. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, since the restoration of their independence till now. After the states have joined the NATO in 2004, a stable international situation and all the benefits and protection, granted by the membership in the Alliance, have affected a more facile assessment of threats. However, due to expansionist actions of aggressive Russia and annexation or Crimea in 2014, the security and defence policy once again became the priority field of each analysed state. The object of the study is the changes of the security and defence policy of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia after annexation of Crimea in 2014; the objective of the study: after accomplishment of analysis and comparison of alternation of the security and defence policy of three Baltic States, the main goal is to find the differences between the implemented changes and to discuss the reasons which possibly have led to a different policy changes of these states. The methods of the study: the analysis of documents, the comparative analysis of similar cases. In order to achieve the objective of the study, the analyses of the conceptions of security and threats have been presented by linking them to regional and historical context. This part allowed me to define the limits of the study by focusing only on the military threats and the national, military safety. The most important theoretical part of the thesis was the analysis of the conception of small states, the priorities and strategies of defence policy and description of a special position of small states in the international system. This part of the thesis allowed further discussions about theoretical aspects of the topic analysed and created preconditions for further study of the thesis. The investigative part of the thesis begins from the description of the security and defence policy until 2014. Based on 5 distinguished criterias, the policies executed by aforementioned states, i.e. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, were analysed. After accomplishment of this analysis, the security and defence policies, which were executed by the Baltic States after 2014, are described in the subsequent part of the thesis thus allowing statement of changes which occurred as a response to Crimean annexation and changed geopolitical situation. After accomplishment of comparative analysis, the possible reasons of different policy formations were reviewed. The study showed that all 3 Baltic States have reacted to destabilized international situation by reviewing their list of threats to the national security, the objectives of security assurance and fundamental principles, by increasing funding and by strengthening their military forces. However, the positions of the states diverged in some aspects: Lithuania with high ethnic ambitions and painful historical experience associated with Russia accepted the changes of the largest scale by significantly increasing funding, bringing back conscripts (which were revoked in 2008) and by showing the orientation towards the individual defence. Changes also were implemented in Latvia. However due to demographic situation they could not be as drastic as they were in Lithuania. Meanwhile Estonia, which for the long time was oriented towards the Nordic countries, continued to have a mixed army, stable and high funding of defence and the essential objectives of security and defence policy anticipated back in 2010.

Grantor dc:publisher

Institutional Repository of Vilnius University

Year dc:date

2016

Author dc:creator

• Žukauskaitė, Skirmantė,

Contributors dc:contributor

• Šešelgytė, Margarita

Statement dc:rights

• info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Language dc:language

lit

Repository record dc:identifier

https://repository.vu.lt/VU:ELABAETD35558124&prefLang=en_US

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vu.lt:elaba:35558124