The Main Risks and Threats to NATO’s Eastern Flank

Abstract

"Located within the Ponto-Baltic Isthmus, the North Atlantic Alliance’s (NATO) Eastern border faces a number of threats, which exceed in diversity and breadth the existing challenges at other border territories of the Alliance. In addition to the historical, permanent threats generated by the geographical and geopolitical position of the Eastern flank states, there are also new threats, that occurred in a pandemic context, especially in the context of the current technological era. This article aims to identify and analyse the main risks and threats facing NATO’s Eastern flank states and to argue the need for complex, multi-purpose support for the materialisation, consolidation and securitisation of the East-European North-South Corridor."