Estabilished in 2019, The Baltic Security Foundation (BSF) promotes the security and defense of the Baltic Sea region.

The Foundation is a result of the Baltic Security Strategy Project (2017-2019) that gathered experts on defence, societal security and economic security to assess the shared challenges for the Baltic States and recommend solutions.

BSF gathers Baltic experts and security experts from the region and beyond. It provides a platform for discussion and research, expert networking, expert mobility, and promotes finding and advocating for solutions that lead to a stronger regional security in military and other areas.

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Olevs

Olevs Nikers, President

Senior analyst at the Jamestown Foundation. Former chief expert at the Ministry of Defense of Latvia (2001-2019).

Otto

Otto Tabuns, Director

Foreign and security policy expert for 10 years. Co-host of the “Latvia Weekly” political news program.

Meet our team and experts!
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Our Recent Articles

U.S.-Poland Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and Why It Matters

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U.S.-Poland Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and Why It Matters

By Matthew Thomas on December 23, 2020

On November 9, 2020, 31 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed the Polish Senate’s ratification bill of the U.S.-Polish Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). This agreement contains a number of provisions that will facilitate greater defense cooperation between the United States and Poland and improve deterrence and battle readiness for NATO along the alliance’s Eastern Flank. For the Baltics, this ratification is welcome news, as it not only improves the regional deterrent posture, but also a number of crucial conditions in Poland to enable more rapid and effective defense in the event of Russian aggression on their territory.

Baltic Sea Security Conference 2020

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Baltic Sea Security Conference 2020

By BSF Team on November 3, 2020

Baltic Sea Security Conference to deal with fragmented security approaches Baltic Sea Security Conference will take place on December 3rd in Helsinki, Finland as well as online. The conference concludes the Baltic Sea Security Initiative, involving workshops, lectures and seminars on the regional aspects of military, societal, economic and cyber security. The initiative joined 150 participants, including Baltic experts from Europe, United States and Japan. The experts of the initiative will share their conclusions with top-level guest speakers from public and private sectors over several panel discussions.

Much Ado About Something: 2% Defense Expenditures and What Really Matters

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Much Ado About Something: 2% Defense Expenditures and What Really Matters

By Matthew Thomas on October 30, 2020

In 2014, NATO member states agreed to target defense expenditures of two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2024. After this commitment, and following Russian aggression in Ukraine, NATO turned the corner on its declining defense expenditures. Facing a new challenge in a revisionist Russia, many allies to the east felt a new sense of urgency about funding their defense, aiming to build a credible deterrent against aggression on their own territory.

As Belarus Descends into Turmoil, the West Should Bolster its Readiness

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As Belarus Descends into Turmoil, the West Should Bolster its Readiness

By Matthew Thomas on September 30, 2020

Belarus seldom registers in the international press during normal times, but while years like 2020 are not so unprecedented, this certainly is not a normal year. Since President Aleksandr Lukashenko was declared the winner of the fraudulent presidential elections on August 9, the country has spiraled into civil unrest and authoritarian repression, and the headlines keep coming like a stampede. While no one was surprised by the announced outcome of the election, most analysts would not have predicted that Belarus would be launched headlong into a persistent crisis.