Author Krista Viksnins notes that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the three Baltic states joining both NATO and the EU.

The three countries, combined population of a little over six million, are consistently among the top five contributors in aid to Ukraine, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy says, and have spent over 1.5 percent of their annual GDP on this since the invasion began.

Naturally, Visnins notes, part of the reason is Ukraine's relative proximity and the fact that it, along with the three Baltic states, were subject to decades of repressive and brutal occupation by the Russian Federation's predecessor state, the Soviet Union.

If Ukraine were to lose, many in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania feel they would be next, in short.

The US now focused on domestic politics ahead of its presidential election this year means that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the rest of Europe cannot wait for Washington's leadership when it comes to Ukraine, the CEPA piece argues.

All this means Europe must ensure it offers a clear and united voice and Russia as the aggressor must be persuaded that despite all the distractions, the West is in no way fatigued by the war.

Lithuania and Estonia have committed around 1.8 percent of their annual GDP to Ukraine, once their contributions to EU aid are factored in; for Latvia, the figure is 1.6 percent.

By comparison, the US given its size has sent far more in absolute terms but as a proportion, 0.3 percent of GDP, while even staunch Ukraine supporter the UK has so far been providing 0.4 percent of its annual GDP as aid, the CEPA piece reports.

The early enthusiasm for providing aid and support soon after the invasion started has nonetheless been replaced by greater ambivalence and even disputes on its ongoing flow.

CEPA Senior Fellow and Lithuanian national Dalia Bankauskaitė noted that "Europe and the West have no right to grow fatigued by Russia's war on Ukraine," she said.

 "A 'grayzone' situation, in which the West does not want Russia to lose but in which they lack any clear vision for victory, undermines Europe's security, Western values, and the international order," Bankauskaitė added.

Marija Golubeva, CEPA Distinguished Fellow and former Latvian MP, echoed this in adding that there is an urgent need for countries across the West to step up.

"The Baltics' contribution to arming Ukraine has been resolute and above their relative weight in the world economy," she said.

"This is no time to be complacent, Not just for the Baltic states, but for all NATO members: Now is the time to redouble efforts to defend Ukraine against the aggressor, given all the pressure to 'freeze' this conflict."

We see from the recent statements of Kaja Kallas, the Estonian prime minister, and from the new defense agreement of the three Baltic states that Baltic politicians are aware of what is at stake," Bankauskaitė said.

Failure to do so would have ramifications far beyond the borders of Ukraine, she said, and "the consequences for NATO's Eastern Flank will be catastrophic," Golubeva added.

Thus all EU member states and NATO allies should all share and feel the same existential threat as do the Baltic states, according to Bankauskaitė.

If leaders from all three rally together to work with their European friends, neighbors, and other allies, they will be able to call out those national governments doing the least to support Kyiv, the piece argued.

The original CEPA piece is here.

The article first appeared on Europe's Edge, CEPA's online journal covering critical foreign policy topics.

Krista Viksnins is a Senior Program Officer with the Transatlantic Defense and Security Program at CEPA.

CEPA is a nonpartisan NGO and public policy institution based in Washington and, focused on strengthening the transatlantic alliance via research, analysis, and programs, the organization says on its website. It also aids the fostering of networks of future leaders versed in Atlanticism.

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