The NATO and EU Relations of Central and Eastern European Nations
This edited volume examines the post-Cold War relationship of eight selected Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries with NATO and the EU’s security and defence policy. The integtartion of the former communist states in Central and Eastern was a pivotal development for the geopolitical realignment of the region, as the region could finally find security and peace embedded into the Western community. However, NATO accession also gradually transformed the defence and military sectors of these nations, and how the respective national armed forces cooperate with allies and beyond. Nevertheless, the main reason for the continuing centrality of NATO in the security and defence policies of most countries in the region is the role of the United States in European security and defence. This provides a unique Central- and Eastern European approach to the emerging EU CSDP ambitions, structrues and new initiatives. Of course, despite all their differences, all eight countries examined in the volume have different specific priorities and perceptions with regards to these two vital organizations.
The volume was commissioned by the Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies ‘Strategic Analyses for Supporting Governmental Decision-making in the Field of Foreign and Security Policy‘ research program, supported by the National University of Public Service under the priority project KÖFOP-2.1.2-VEKOP-15-2016-00001, titled ‘Public Service Development Establishing Good Governance‘.