Europe Alone

A very necessary and timely book. I recommend this to anyone who does not want to repeat the fate of Ukraine. The authors make the fundamental conclusion that the former American security umbrella no longer exists, and therefore, even the former post-Soviet NATO member countries will have to rely primarily on their own forces in matters of ensuring and strengthening security. Thanks to the meticulous work that David Schultz, Aurelija Puraite, and Vidmante Giedraityte have done, the people of the Baltic States are now warned, and they--I want to hope--will not have to, as we do now in Kyiv, give zoom lectures to the sound of sirens and the smell of burning from exploding shells and rockets, playing almost every day the roulette of 'arrives/does not arrive.' Great job; well done, colleagues!

InEurope Alone: Small State Security without the United States, David Schultz, Aurelija Puraite, and Vidmante Giedraityte have provided a valuable and thought-provoking collection for the fields of law, public safety, and national security by gathering a distinct group of local scholars and professionals who collectively present a comprehensive, diverse, and academic look at various policy concepts. This book is unique in its holistic approach to the security of small states in post-Cold War era Europe. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has not only shaken Europe to its core but has also propelled the historically neutral states of Sweden and Finland to seek NATO membership. In such an environment, many former Soviet states are very seriously concerned about their security despite being among the newest members of NATO. This work addresses many significant questions, such as how small European states can defend themselves against overwhelming new threats and the reliability of the United States as a security partner.

It is hard to think of any other aspect of human, public, national or international security that is not covered here. Nor does the collection confine itself to analysis.... Europe Alone ambitiously pleads for the establishment of security and safety studies as a separate discipline that can holistically deal with the entire range of issues - from waste management and nuclear strikes to organised crime and sustainable development - that are ably discussed in this collection.

No country is an island. We all are operating in the same ecosystem of security, where each participant has an important role to play. This book explores the prospects of European security in a future where the whole global security architecture is about to change. Who will be a leading actor and how? It is obvious that there cannot be any weak links in the chain of security, especially from the interest of smaller states like the Baltic countries. The timing of this book could not be better as the Russian Federation has become more aggressive. It is time to broaden our views on European security concepts. I recommend this book for those who wish to continue their academic studies and research or those who are curious about the future concepts and perspectives of European security.