Along NATO’s eastern frontier, the Baltic and Black Sea regions represent two potential flashpoints.Both areas are grappling with growing Russian presence and activities, which challenge NATO’s ability to defend and operate in these regions and have various political, economic, and security implications. Over the last five years, NATO has recognized the challenges and undertook significant steps to enhance defence and deterrence. Much of these efforts have been focused on the Baltic Sea region, where NATO’s strategy and plans are much clearer. But in the Black Sea, where the players are more diverse and the challenges are more complex, the Alliance has more work to do. How should the Alliance be thinking about the future of these two key regions?
