In the summer of 2017, the Center for European Policy Analysis sentProfessor Colin Dueckon a listening tour of the Baltics to interview diplomatic, military and economic government officials in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on the subject of Russia’s long-term challenge to these countries, their national responses and related NATO and U.S. policies.

He concluded that the Baltic States, as well as the United States, cannot afford to ignore their restless neighbor to the East. As one Lithuanian official said to him, “winter is coming.” The mood in the Baltics is not one of panic. But, there is an understanding that the long-term challenge from Russia will continue to be persistent, powerful, and intense.

In this panel, Professor Dueck will summarize what he heard and learned in the Baltics and assess the lessons for U.S. policy in the region and Europe. Dr. Jakub Grygiel of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff and a former Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis will offer his personal assessment of the state of Europe and the Russian challenge. Dr. Ted Bromund of The Heritage Foundation will set out Heritage’s assessment of that challenge and the necessary U.S. policy responses.