Welcome back to in the loop folks, we've all heard the
saying history repeats itself right For many across
europe, the question of whether history will repeat
itself in a destructive way is top of mind right now,
at one point in time, the soviet union with Russia at
its center was an equal rival to the US as a global
superpower. At its peak, it dominated eastern europe
and encompassed 15 distinct Republics. That union
collapsed in 1991 something Russian president Vla
Putin previously called a catastrophe. Since the fall
of the soviet union, we've seen multiple attempts fr
Russia to reoccupy some territo that were a part of
that union of nations Crimea and Ukraine is just one of
those instances. There was also the russo Georgian war
in 2000 and eight, which resulted in Russian occup
territories in Georgia. I think everybody now has
realized that there is this instinct to expansion, thi
imperialist old trend of Russia that is not going
anywhere unless it is confronted by determination.
Russian neighbors like Georgia and Moldova who are
neither part of NATO nor the european union are thought
to be the most vulnerable to Russian expansion
why together with Ukraine, these two nations are now
applying for eU membership. A complicated process that
can take years and is far from guaranteed. Now, even
for former USSR countries insid the EU and NATO, The
war in Ukraine brings renewed fear of Russian
aggression, Newsy correspondent miso keys in on
the small Baltic nations in north eastern europe. For
countries neighboring Russia, t war in Ukraine fields
are alarmingly close, tens of millions wondering are we
next Nobody can feel safe now. Maybe it will be Poland.
Maybe it will be Baltic states among the most concerned
The small Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and
Estonia, a region squeezed between Russia and Belarus
with a long and painful history of Russian occu
You know, you hear stories of people who who packed a
go bag in case they they need to leave european
security expert, christa Vincen means is a dual
citizen of Latvia and the US. She lives in D.C. But has
many worried friends and relatives in Latvia, people
are starting to talk to relatives or friends in other
countries like Ukraine, the Baltics were once part of
the soviet union and are home to a sizable Russian
ethnic minority. Russian President Vladimir Putin's
pretext for invading Ukraine was protecting ethnic
Russians there. But unlike Ukraine, the three Baltic
nations have been part of the EU and the defensive NATO
alliance since 2004. That means the US and other allies
will come to their defense if Russia were to invade. We
want to make sure that Russia knows that an attack on
Lithuania or any other NATO Article five countries. It
comes with a cost this year. The U.S. And NATO
bolstered military capabilities in the Baltics and
other eastern flank countries. But experts tell Newsy
that may not be enough. Even though Russia didn't show
its best potential in Ukraine. The Baltic time forces
are far weaker than the Ukrainian ones. In a string of
op EDS in english language newspapers, Baltic lea
are calling for a permanent NATO presence and the
placement of air defense systems. Currently, NAT
troops rotate in and out of eastern europe to avoid
provoking Russia rotating through means, you know,
there's transit time etcetera. Um, we need people that
are that are there on the ground that know the region
have made their connections. Defense analysts a
particularly concerned about th Savall key gap, A 60
miles trip of land between the heavily militarized
Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus. If by
chance Russia was able to seal that off, they will
effectively seal off the Baltics from the rest of
Europe. The Baltic nations have been extremely
supportive of Ukraine because they recognize that
Ukrainians are fighting for the Baltics too, and for
the entire european continent more than brussels,
Berlin or Washington. They know one fundamental thing
Putin can't think he's won this war. Ben show me so
Newsy