Baltic Backlash

In a recent article on Russia's relations with the Baltic States, published in Helsingin Sanomat on May 17, Finnish analyst Olli Kivinen commented:

The Baltic States have every reason to be pleased that Russia continued to snarl at them even during the celebrations of Victory Day. The Balts got more positive publicity from different parts of the world than at any previous time, including the period of the restoration of their independence in the early 1990s. At that time many dramatic turns of events were taking place in Europe, which partly overshadowed the events in the Baltic States.

Little is known around the world about the history or reality of the Baltic States, or of Finland. Now the situation is better from their point of view; membership in NATO and the EU combined with the flurry of publicity sparked by Moscow have efficiently spread information about the position of the Baltic States.

Kivinen followed this up with some perceptive remarks about the significance of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, and its continuing relevance to East European politics - and, indeed, European politics in general - today:

Denying the reality of the past inflicts the greatest damage on the countries that do so.

The contradictory messages clearly make Russia’s position more difficult. Talk of building democracy and belonging to the European family on the one hand, and falsifying the past on the other, show a sharp contradiction, which is deepened by the incessantly brutal nature of the war in Chechnya.

The relationship with the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact is a concrete source of suspicion and fear.

During the time of Mikhail Gorbachov the Soviet Union condemned the treaty, but Russia has not done the same. On the contrary, President Vladimir Putin recently downplayed the pact and its consequences, saying that it was an action with which Russia sought to secure its interests and security on its western borders.

Russia’s Ambassador to Finland, Vladimir Grinin wrote on the op-ed page of Helsingin Sanomat (May 9th, 2005) that the Soviet Union was "forced" to sign its agreement with Germany. At the same time he tried to completely circumvent the Soviet attack on Finland, and the Winter War.

It is difficult to see how Russia’s actions toward the Baltic States and the reactions they have caused would help the Russian minorities in those countries, which Russia is constantly concerned about. One might rather say that the policies of the Baltic countries are understood around the world much better than before, and Russia’s actions are followed much more closely and with more suspicion.

Lashing out at the Baltics has also weakened Russia’s relations with the United States and the EU. The important visit to Latvia of President George Bush and his strong support for the Baltic countries took place because Russia’s statements had placed domestic pressure on Bush and forced him to clear the road to Moscow by giving strong support to the Balts.