The tense situation in the former Soviet Union Baltic states is mounting that President Vladimir Putin will not stop attacking Ukraine, and he may focus on it.Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - the Baltic states of northeastern Europe - are now members of the EU and NATO. However, in June 1940 they were invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union and after World War II became part of the USSR until its collapse in 1991 when they gained independence.
Today, it is estimated that one million Russians still live in the Baltic countries. That worries the region, as Putin's excuse for invading Ukraine was "to protect" the Russian people in the east of the country - a reason that was widely questioned and dismissed by many experts in the region.
Many analysts see Putin's invasion of Ukraine as an attempt to rebuild the lost Soviet state of Russia, the destruction that Putin once described as a "great catastrophe of the 20th century."
Russia also sought to bring other former Soviet republics into its sphere of influence, including Belarus and Georgia in the north and Moldova in the south, with varying degrees of success. There have been many anti-government protests in these countries over the years, especially the Ukrainian protests in support of democracy in 2004 and 2013.
Now, there is concern in the Baltic states that Russia, having invaded the former Soviet Union, could advance and begin to invade it.
European Commission Deputy President Valdis Dombrovskis warned on Monday that the EU should take Russia's threat seriously.
"If we do not support Ukraine, it will not end in Ukraine. It is clear that Putin is now in a state of aggression and unfortunately this violence is likely to continue in other countries," he said in an interview with Politico. Monday evening.
In an apparent effort to secure the region, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a two-day trip to the Baltics on Monday, visiting Lithuania and Latvia on Monday and Estonia on Tuesday.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda appeared to be pushing Blinken to take NATO action together when he addressed a joint press conference, saying "blocking is not enough, and we need more protection here ... Secretary. Putin will not stop in Ukraine; he will not stop . "
And Foreign Minister Gabrielelius Landsbergis said the West "has a shared responsibility and obligation" to help Ukraine, adding: "If you want to avoid a third world war. The choice is in our hands."
Blinken responded by emphasizing that "the United States, with all its allies, will defend the whole - every inch of NATO territory in the event of an attack, and there should be no doubt about that in anyone's mind."
But he stressed that NATO has no aggressive intent and will not seek conflict.
The Second Cold War?
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics told CNBC on Tuesday that he had been confirmed by Blinken's visit. You have received promises of practical support, such as additional US troops in the region and talks to strengthen its defense.
"One of the most important things is not only the political statements but also the things that are already working," he told "Squawk Box Europe." "I feel the U.S. is very supportive."
In a press conference on Monday, Rinkevics said public opinion and policymakers' decisions had changed with regard to the deployment of troops, noting that we now "need a permanent suspension of NATO troops, including US troops, from our ground" - something he had. he called before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On the day Russia invaded Ukraine (Feb. 24), Biden ordered the deployment of 7,000 US troops to Europe, and transported already European troops to the eastern part of NATO, including Latvia.
Asked if he was concerned that Russia would cite the protection of the Russian people as an excuse to continue the offensive, Rinkevics said there were "significant differences" between Ukraine and the Baltics, as they were part of NATO and the EU.
"If you look at the structure of Latvia, there are no such places with a large Russian population," he said. "Yes, there are a handful of Russian, but there is a shift in Russian-speaking people as we speak."
However, Rinkevics said he feared a second world war, the escalating tensions between the West and Russia, and the countries under its influence. "The Iron Curtain is now falling, Russia is withdrawing from the West ... I think we are in a very long time here."
'Aggressive war mood'
Although the Baltic states have been part of NATO and the EU since 2004, all three use the euro as their currency, and their position puts them at risk. Like Ukraine, they all share a border with Russia. Latvia and Lithuania also share a border with Russia's ally Belarus, which is believed to support Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.
Krista Viksnins, co-ordinator of the Transatlantic Defense and Security Program at the European Policy Analysis Center, noted in an editorial last week that the Baltic states had good reason to be concerned.
"All three [Baltic countries] have returned to Europe successfully.
"As Vladimir Putin issued threats of bloodshed in Ukraine prior to his senseless attack, he has threatened the Baltic states."
It is an issue that has been raised by the European Commission's Dombrovskis in its discussion on Monday.
"If you look at the rise of Russian rhetoric and even statements that Russia supports the Belarusian interests of access to the Baltic Sea, as well as the growth of anti-Baltic rhetoric.
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