Thirty years ago, the collapse of the Soviet Union opened the door for three Baltic states to step on the pathway to independence, democracy and prosperity. But the door did not open by itself. Restoration of independence was achieved, first, with the help of popular uprisings and, second, with the support of the West, including Western readiness to challenge the geopolitical interests of the emerging Russian Federation and accept Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia into the embrace of the European Union and NATO. The Nordic countries, the northern neighbors of the Balts and historic defenders of human rights and liberties, played an instrumental role in the process.
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