Baltic Security Foundation

The Baltic Security Foundation team has concluded its visit to Washington to share the findings of its most recent research, discuss upcoming publications and exchange views with American experts and decision-makers connected with Baltic and European security. This was another opportunity to engage with several American think tanks that focus on Transatlantic issues, as well as the leaders of the Baltic American communities including the American Latvian Association.

Olevs Nikers represented the Foundation at the panel discussion hosted by the Hudson Institute on the relationship of the United States with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania under the administration of the President Donald J. Trump. The discussion, joined by Luke Coffey, Eitvydas Bajarūnas, and Kalev Stoicescu, and moderated by Lee Allen from JBANC, can be seen in the following link:

‘The Perfect Allies’: Examining the U.S.-Baltic Relationship under the Trump Administration Despite public statements promising increased support for Ukraine against Russia and a restoration of European hard power, many of the United States’ major a...

Olevs Nikers represented the Baltic Security Foundation at the Power Connect Energy Summit in Gdansk, Poland, on March 26-28.

He was invited to speak at panel discussions on EU energy policy, as well as Baltic energy security cooperation options. Furthermore, the Defence24 television interviewed Nikers on the significance of energy security within the NATO collective security framework.

Olevs Nikers was invited by the European Council on Foreign Relations to share regional security expertise at the closed-door workshop “From water to airspace. Geopolitical tensions and infrastructures security: what role for Europe”.

This workshop focused on the freedom of the physical layer of the internet by convening in Warsaw on February 24th and 25th in the framework of the Polish EU Presidency with a group of EU decision-makers, representatives from the private sector, and experts.

The event was hosted with the support of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and in partnership with the Italian foreign policy magazine Formiche. This gathering is part of the project “Towards an open, free, and global internet”.

Read more on NATO's response to sabotage of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, including a comment from our expert Glen Grant:

The NATO mission to secure cables in the Baltic Sea This week NATO launched 'Baltic Sentry', a new naval mission to prevent attacks on cable infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The alliance says Russia is to blame for recent incidents, but can increased NATO patrols make a difference?

Euronews English spoke to Olevs Nikers on what can be done to address Baltic Sea cable vulnerabilities following a series of incidents where critical infrastructure was deliberately damaged.

Read more here:

NATO could turn to fleet of sea drones to defend Baltic Sea cables NATO is reportedly thinking about using sea drones to secure the Internet cables running under the Baltic Sea. We take a look at what this technology is.

Olevs Nikers was interviewed by TVP World about the Baltic Summit and its pivotal timing as Europe faces growing uncertainty.

See the interview in the following link:

Baltic Summit comes at a pivotal time as Europe faces growing uncertainty | Olevs Nikers The Baltic Summit came at a pivotal time for Europe, which is facing major strategic uncertainties, particularly over support for Ukraine. Escalation between...

Read more on heightened security risks that Norway faces from Russia, including espionage attempts and incidents involving drones near critical infrastructure by BSF visiting fellow Sigmund Brandvold:

Norwegian Intelligence Assessment on Russian Interference Executive Summary: Following the invasion of Ukraine, Norway faces heightened security risks from Russia, including espionage attempts and incidents involving drones near critical infrastructure. In the intelligence’s assessment, Norway’s oil and gas facilities, essential to the European energy ...

Read more on the identified shortcomings within the Latvian comprehensive defense system following the Russian drone crash in Latvia in an article by BSF's Olevs Nikers and the steps taken to address air and border defense:

Russian Drone Crash Exposes Critical Weakness in Latvian Comprehensive Defense Executive Summary: An armed Russian drone crash incident reveals in Latvia on September 7 the significant shortcomings within the Latvian comprehensive defense system. These shortcomings are related to the lack of certain military capabilities within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Th...