Finnish-Estonian defence cooperation. Lessons of 1939-1940 for the USSR and their modern interpretation

Abstract

The article focuses on the issues of bilateral relations between Estonia and Finland in the 1920s and 1930s in the context of modern foreign policy and military cooperation between two countries. The authors consider these relations in terms of modern threats to Russia's security in the northwest and Finland's entry into NATO. Close attention is given to the current military-political situation in the region. A set of methods of comparative studies in political and historical dimensions was implemented. The purpose of the study is to show the continuity of models of military-political cooperation in the Baltic region. The authors came to the conclusion that in the third decade of the 21st century the renewal of the previous model of cooperation between Estonia and Finland and its qualitative development in the context of the NATO strategy in the Baltic theatre are possible. Currently the only obstacle to deepening Finnish-Estonian cooperation in the military-political sphere is Russia's active position. The actualisation of discussions about historical experience of interactions with Russia will inevitably lead to drawing the lessons from 1939-1948 for Tallinn and Helsinki. This can provide the pragmatisation of interactions between Russia, Finland, and Estonia in the long term.