BISC is delighted to announce that it will be hosting an event at the forthcoming Nato Summit in Ankara, Turkey, from 10:00–11:30am on Tuesday 7 July 2026.

The event, titled “Secret Agency: Why Narva’s Not Next and Other Myths – Rethinking Assumptions About the Baltic States’ Vulnerability,” will bring together BISC founder-director Edward Lucas, Latvia’s Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, Lithuania’s Ambassador to NATO Darius Jauniškis, and Estonia’s Undersecretary of Political Affairs Martin Roger, to examine the risks and consequences of reductive and alarmist commentary on the Baltic states.

From Die Welt’s infamous “Ernstfall” podcast to Carlo Masala’s best-selling “If Russia Wins”, Western commentary too often depicts the Baltic states in clichés: “Tiny”, “ex-Soviet republics”, helpless and hapless victims of Russia’s next onslaught.

This is as patronising as it is groundless.

The Baltic states are not defenceless. They possess small but highly capable armed forces, they have excellent security and intelligence agencies, and they can be effectively reinforced in the event of a crisis. Their greatest challenge is not military or strategic weakness, but the patronising misapprehensions of Western opinion-formers and decision-makers.

The panel will highlight Baltic strategic agency and strength and argue for a different approach. Rather than patronising their Baltic allies, commentators and policymakers across Nato and the EU should be focussing on what they can learn from them.

Secure your place at the event by registering for a ticket here