Several central and Eastern European countries are marking the 20th anniversary of the largest expansion of the NATO military alliance. This expansion saw formerly socialist countries become members of the bloc. Military aircraft flew over the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, and officials gathered at the main airbase hosting Spanish and Portuguese fighter jets involved in NATO air policing missions in the Baltic region to commemorate the event.
President Gitanas Nauseda of Lithuania expressed confidence in the Alliance, stating, 'We will always have a strong, supportive Alliance family by our side, and we will face any challenges together.' Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined NATO on March 29, 2004, bringing the total membership of the Alliance to 26. These nations began accession negotiations soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union and were invited to join at the Prague Summit in November 2002.
Since joining NATO, these countries have consistently raised concerns about the threat posed by Russia, drawing on their national trauma of Soviet occupation as evidence. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has validated these fears, leading to robust responses from the new NATO members, including providing support to Ukraine and advocating for increased sanctions on Russia.
Most of the former Soviet Republics that joined NATO at the turn of the millennium exceed the required 2% of GDP spending on defense. Romania's President Klaus Iohannis emphasized the threat from Russia and called for a 'renewal of perspectives' within the alliance, highlighting the importance of the eastern flank's strengthening.
The anniversary is being marked with a mix of solemn events and displays of strength, as well as cultural celebrations such as open-air concerts and exhibitions. Adm. Emil Eftimov of Bulgaria reflected on the significance of joining NATO, stating, 'Given today’s security situation, this is the most appropriate decision we have made in our recent history.'
