Economy and Security in the Baltic States, a study of the Relationship between Security thinking and economic dependence

The purpose of the study is to compare the perceptions of economic threats as they are expressed in the security concepts of the three Baltic states to the practical outcome in terms of changes in trade with Russia. To this purpose, the author scrutinizes the trade development between the three Baltic states and Russia in the secondhalf of the 1990-ies. For completeness, other Russian economic interests and transit patterns in the region are also described. This is followed by an analysis of the security concepts of the equivalent in the three states. In these, Russian economic leverages and Baltic dependence on primarily Russian energy carriers are percieved as possible threats to the independence of the three nations. The security thinking clearly expresses concern for Russian hegemonic tendencies and dominance in some sectors of the economy, which under certain circumstances could lead to unwished dependence and control from Russia. In the concluding chapter, the difference between theory and praxis in the three Baltic states in this field is discussed.