In the latest installment of the Intellectual Roots series, Jędrzej Jander—Senior Analyst in the Civic Studies Team and Spokesman of the Institute of Central Europe—speaks with American analyst Louis Wierenga about the strategic consequences of NATO’s enlargement in the Baltic Sea region.
The discussion is anchored in a chapter authored by Louis Wierenga and published in a policy paper of the Institute of Central Europe, which examines the regional security environment following Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO. Although eight of the nine Baltic littoral states are now members of the Alliance, the conversation demonstrates why geographic dominance does not necessarily amount to full strategic or operational control.
Louis Wierenga is a lecturer in international relations at the Baltic Defence College in Tartu and a researcher at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu. His research focuses on information warfare, emerging technologies, far-right movements, and security in the Baltic region. His academic background is complemented by prior service in the United States Marine Corps.
The conversation covers, among other topics:
🔹 the impact of Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO on the regional balance of power
🔹 the role of the Kaliningrad Oblast and Russia’s A2/AD capabilities
🔹 NATO’s vulnerability to hybrid activities, including the sabotage of critical infrastructure
🔹 strategic linkages between the Baltic Sea, the High North, and the Indo-Pacific
🔹 the critical importance of Gotland for security in the southern Baltic
Intellectual Roots is an IEŚ interview series devoted to the ideas, concepts, and analyses that shape contemporary thinking on international security.
We encourage you to watch the full conversation and subscribe to the Institute of Central Europe’s YouTube channel.
INTELLECTUAL ROOTS: Louis Wierenga. NATO in the Baltic Sea: Dominance or the Illusion of Control?