Expansion of NATO

The accession of the Baltic states to the NATO alliance has generated strong reactions in Moscow. Russia and NATO have differences on many counts and certain recent events have exacerbated them. Moreover, Russia was not in favour of the Baltic states joining the EU on the grounds that they violated various provisions for membership. Russia's policy-makers have adopted a two-pronged strategy: strong disapproval when required even while participating in coordinated efforts to bring pressure on NATO.