ABSTRACT
This chapter first explains the general guiding principles framing Estonia's defence and security policy. It provides an overview of Estonia's defence and deterrence efforts before 2014. The chapter describes the perception of the Russian threat, both in the official political discourse and in public opinion. It analyses how Estonia's deterrence solution aims to combine elements of central and extended deterrence and how different components of the latter are viewed in Estonia. The chapter explores the practical steps Estonia has undertaken nationally to develop its defence capabilities, and those it has asked its North Atlantic Treaty Organization Allies to put in place to deter Russia. It includes issues related to areas outside conventional military domains, such as countering hostile information influence and cyber activities. The chapter discusses some key obstacles Estonia faces in pursuit of deterrence, namely issues related to the general asymmetry of power, the time factor and geography.
