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Moscow and Swedish NATO Accession

Russia’s geopolitical goals, its overall confrontation with the west, and its war against Ukraine will continue to be key to dimensioning Moscow’s military planning. Its rhetoric and threats are, however, what Russia has left in its arsenal to deter Sweden.

Russian Intelligence and Western Counterintelligence

The recent surge in cases across the west relating to Russian intelligence activities is a bitter reminder — lest anyone should think otherwise — that the Russian intelligence community remains highly active, the country’s challenges in Ukraine notwithstanding.

The Axis of Upheaval: How the Convergence of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea Will Challenge the US and Europe

One of President Putin’s many miscalculations in his decision to invade Ukraine was his underestimation of the west’s response. Indeed, the US and Europe outperformed what many in the west themselves thought was possible in the run-up to the war. Russia’s aggression set in motion…

Organising for Victory

Today, the United States and its Allies face global challenges. The question is … do we have the political will, industrial capacity, economic leverage, and military capability to overcome those challenges? Can we organise for victory … or will we just kick the can down…

LMC 2024

Martin Herem: A NATO Victory Is Not in Question – But the Fight Will Be Ugly

It is trendy to talk about Ukraine or the Russian threat. However, actions speak louder than words. Many processes run exactly the way they did three years ago. Yet today, we are in a hurry. And the enemy should be warded off now. The Commander…

LMC 2024

It Is High Time for the West to Think About Belarus

While the US Congress recently approved a vital and long-awaited $61 billion support package to Ukraine, the west should not forget about Belarus. Belarus has been a crucial actor in Russia’s war in Ukraine. While civil society, political opposition, and the whole Belarusian democratic movement…

Speech by President of Estonia Alar Karis: We Are Shaking Off Our Mistaken Strategy of “Deterring by Restraint”

Speech by the President of the Republic of Estonia Alar Karis at the Lennart Meri Conference 2024.

LMC 2024

Make Russia Pay

In April 2024, President Joe Biden of the United States signed a long-awaited aid package for Ukraine. The law also includes mechanisms enabling the confiscation of Russian sovereign assets as a countermeasure to its war of aggression. This action reflects a shift in the US…

LMC 2024

Speech by President Alar Karis

Dear friends, I am honoured to welcome you in Estonia for the Lennart Meri conference, and I am pleased to see many familiar, but also new faces. When we gathered in Tallinn last year, there was still shock caused by the brutality of the war…

LMC 2023