Former UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke speaks with Dimitri Trenin, Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center about how Russia currently sees the Baltic, and how countries active in the Baltic Sea region can work to lower tensions.  

Kaliningrad and St Petersburg, on the Baltic Sea, are Russia’s western border. Since Peter the Great, Russia has become recognised as a global power and has been central to the whole Baltic region. The Baltic has now become a ‘de facto frontline’ between Russia and NATO.

In the early 20th century Britain helped the Baltic States secure their independence from Russia. After the Cold War Poland (1999) and the Baltic States (2004) joined NATO, which now co-operates increasingly closely with both Sweden and Finland. British forces now make a major contribution to NATO in the Baltic.

So what is Russia’s current perspective? Late last year Dmitri Trenin urged a ‘Respect thy Neighbour’ approach between Russia and the Baltic Region. This conversation between him and Charles Clarke takes place three months before Russia’s parliamentary elections, and will explore how Russia currently sees the Baltic, how Trenin’s approach to ‘neighbourliness’ can be achieved and how he views the emerging tensions between the EU, NATO and Russia.