Nato's Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) in the Baltic States and Poland

This paper analyzes the limits and assets of conventional deterrence by taking NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) in the Baltic States and Poland as a case study. This research, based on a qualitative survey conducted at NATO headquarters, focuses on several aspects of the eFP: 1) the choice of a multinational format for this activity, which presents the challenge of interoperability; 2) the different roles of the battlegroups that are not limited to deterrence; 3) developments since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This paper shows that despite reservations about the heterogenous implementation of the eFP, NATO’s deterrence activity has received an overwhelming amount of support from several players: Central and Eastern European member states, which are thus leaving their status as second-tier members and seeing their security concerns considered, and partners who, as demonstrated by the accession process of Sweden and Finland, are looking for NATO’s protection.