Country Profile:
Estonia
Summary
Estonia’s SSR process—like its Baltic neighbours Latvia and Lithuania—can be described as post-authoritarian. The Soviet departure in 1991 resulted in the exodus of many senior figures in the security sector. Throughout the 1990s, SSR in Estonia was hampered by a lack of resources, and was supported with assistance from its Nordic neighbours, the US, and NATO partners.
Like its Baltic neighbours, Estonia saw EU and NATO membership as a way to guarantee its security against a hostile and threatening power in Russia. Among Estonia’s citizens, 68 percent saw NATO membership as “the most important thing guaranteeing Estonian security.” After a long NATO and EU-guided reform process, Estonia joined both organizations in 2004. According to Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “active NATO membership will always remain the top priority of Estonian security and defence policy.”
