SECURITY THREATS REFLECTED IN THE STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS OF NATO’S EASTERN MEMBER COUNTRIES

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to identify and compare the main threats to the security of NATO member states situated on its Eastern border, as they are found in the strategic documents of NATO’s Eastern border member states and in document “NATO 2030: United for a New Era” at organisational level. The analysis is limited to the threats identified as such, not to the security risks or vulnerabilities. Thus, it is found that some of the former communist Eastern European countries, many of them part of NATO’s Eastern border, have in common the reminiscent threat related to Russia’s vicinity. However, NATO’s Eastern countries also have specific perceptions of security threats. For some of these countries, a threat reassessment is needed in order to include the results in their national security strategies. The same update needs to be reflected in NATO’s Strategic Concept, given the new challenges and the flare up of old ones.