How Small-State Allies Perceive Germany
Journal: Politische Vierteljahresschrift
Year: 2025

Abstract Russia’s full-scale attack against Ukraine in February 2022 shattered many longstanding pillars of the European security architecture. One of the most profound changes relates to Germany’s approach to Russia and its role in securing NATO’s eastern flank. In light of Moscow’s aggression, Berlin pledged to strengthen its military footprint in the Baltic Sea region. In this process, has Germany met the expectations of its Baltic allies? In this paper, we seek to probe the views of Germany