On August 13, 2025, the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia published a joint op-ed in The Financial Times urging the West to reject any territorial concessions to Russia in exchange for ending the war in Ukraine.

The diplomats reminded readers that in their countries’ history, the “temporary” occupation by the USSR in 1940 turned into half a century of repression, deportations, and forced Russification.

“Even with the non-recognition of annexation by the United States and Europe, it did not save our people from tragedy. That is why we know: Russian occupation is never temporary”, the statement reads.

In 1940, the USSR, acting in alliance with Nazi Germany under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, seized Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The West formally did not recognize this annexation, but decades of violence and suppression of national identity became the reality for millions of people.

The Baltic ministers draw a direct parallel with Ukraine, where, in their words, “the occupation is already accompanied by torture, propaganda, abductions, and the forced integration of children”.

It is estimated that around 6 million Ukrainians are under Russian control. In the occupied territories, there are widespread reports of repression. Abducted children are being integrated into the Russian educational and cultural system. In addition, propaganda and censorship have replaced free media.

The stories of Bucha, Irpin, and Mariupol, according to the diplomats, are “modern analogues” of Stalin’s crimes.

The Baltic ministers call for unity of the transatlantic community in supporting Ukraine, maximum military and economic assistance, and investments in Europe’s long-term security.

“Strength is the only language the aggressor understands. Any concessions will only lead to new wars”.

Historically, the Baltic states have viewed Russia as an existential threat. Their 20th-century experience has shaped an extremely realistic – and often pessimistic – view of international diplomacy with Moscow.

The Financial Times op-ed is aimed primarily at Western elites, where voices advocating “peace through compromise” are becoming increasingly loud. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, as NATO’s front-line states, fear that allowing territorial concessions in Ukraine will open the way for Russia to test the resilience of NATO’s Article 5. For the Baltics, the war in Ukraine is not a local conflict but a battle for the entire architecture of European security.

14.08.2025 06:06