Competing Interests Threaten Baltic Pressure on Russia

With the Sept. 30 review of EU sanctions against Russia approaching, the Baltic states are among several countries interested in maintaining the pressure on Moscow for its role in the Ukraine crisis. However, Baltic nations are also operating under significant constraints, including the region's economic ties to Russia and the competing interests of larger EU countries that want to improve relations with Moscow. These competing forces will make it hard for the Baltics to maintain an aggressive stance on Russia, forcing them to react to events rather than move proactively in the standoff between Moscow and the West.