B9 cover

Autor foto: Public domain

Reinforcing NATO’s Eastern Flank: Security Overview of the B9

Reinforcing NATO’s Eastern Flank: Security Overview of the B9

October 18, 2024

Author: Sebastian Czub, Ina Filote, Pavel Havlíček, Ihor Havryluk, Andrzej Kozłowski, Tomasz Obremski, Matej Rafael Riško, Zsombor Zeöld

Reinforcing NATO’s Eastern Flank: Security Overview of the B9

B9 cover

Autor foto: Public domain

Reinforcing NATO’s Eastern Flank: Security Overview of the B9

Author: Sebastian Czub, Ina Filote, Pavel Havlíček, Ihor Havryluk, Andrzej Kozłowski, Tomasz Obremski, Matej Rafael Riško, Zsombor Zeöld

Published: October 18, 2024

The security dynamics of the Bucharest 9 (B9) countries, positioned on NATO’s Eastern Flank, have gained increasing attention in recent years due to evolving geopolitical and hybrid threats. This report seeks to evaluate the security situation of these nine nations, encompassing Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. As NATO’s strategic buffer against external aggressors, particularly Russia, the B9 countries are critical in understanding how collective security mechanisms operate and how individual national security policies align with broader NATO objectives. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse by exploring key areas of security policy, including energy security, cyber security, and hybrid threats, as well as the defense and industrial capabilities of these countries. By examining the latest developments, the report positions itself as a necessary resource for scholars and policymakers alike, offering a comprehensive analysis of the security challenges and opportunities in this crucial region.

The significance of this study lies in its timely analysis of contemporary security issues facing the B9 countries, especially in light of recent geopolitical tensions and the growing importance of unconventional threats such as cyberattacks and energy vulnerabilities. While much of the existing literature focuses on NATO as a whole, fewer studies provide a detailed examination of the security posture of individual B9 countries, which form a vital security corridor for the Alliance. This report addresses this gap by formulating several key research questions: How effectively are the B9 countries adapting their security policies to new forms of threats? What role does energy security play in their overall defense strategies? How well-equipped are their defense industries to support national and collective defense objectives? Through these questions, the study aims to uncover both commonalities and divergences in the security frameworks of the B9 countries, offering a nuanced understanding of the region’s collective and national security concerns.

The primary objective of this research is to assess the current security environment in the B9 region by analyzing defense capabilities, energy security, cyber security, and hybrid threats. The rationale behind this research stems from the increasing interdependence of these factors in modern security policy, where traditional military threats are now compounded by cyberattacks and energy manipulation. By providing a systematic evaluation of each country’s security posture, this study contributes to policy formulation, offering actionable insights into how NATO and its eastern flank can enhance resilience. Methodologically, the report draws on a mix of data sources, utilizing governmental reports, expert analysis, and defense expenditure reviews. Structurally, the report is divided into chapters focusing on individual countries, each concluding with a security assessment to provide a comprehensive view of the regional security landscape.