"According to the joint statement by presidents of Latvia and Estonia, made in October last year, they are looking for contingency plans from NATO states on how to defend the Baltic states in the case of “Russian aggression”." It's show time folks. "how to defend the Baltic states"???? Are you kiddig me???? NATO won't defend the Baltic states. This is probably the most open secret in the NATO strategic plan. These three countries are too small and too geographically constricted to defend against any Russian Federation invasion - and, any attempt to do so would be suicidal for the NATO forces. The decision has already been taken that NATO will not precipitate a full-scale nuclear war with RF in order to "defend" the undefendable. So what is the value of these "NATO military exercises" to the Baltic States? It's all a grand show to placate the angst of the Baltic peoples. Let's take a look at these "NATO military exercises". NATO will fly their planes up and down in a confined corridor between the Baltic sea and the RF border , tracked all the way by the RF radar systems. Then a plane or two will land in Tallinn where the pilots will drink SAKU beer and get a pat on the back from the Estonians. The lucky pilots may even get to visit the Cafe Amigo in the Viru hotel in Tallinn and sample Estonian "goodies". That is about the worth of these "NATO military exercises".

This should demonstrate to the Russian leadership how sincere are the NATO countries and their American boss, when dealing with Russia. As, I repeat time and time again, Russia should ignore every deceitful meeting until NATO cease to exist and that all US military installations and personal have been removed from all around Russia and from Europe. An other way exist to have a peaceful World: just temporarily ignore the 5% of mankind responsible for the actual mess...Sorry Future Generations ! Your friend: Jean-Claude Meslin

Couldn't they wait a little bit loger, then we could have taken part as a sign of friendship with our new Mistrals. The Bal-ticks - a nasty pest; they are small, irritating and try to get under your skin, but with new aerial NATO spray you can keep the problem under control!

I follow Meslin's stance. I believe Russia needs to ignore NATO in the Baltic region and Poland completely. These nations have fears based on the past and if one involves themselves in a Muscle Flexing Competition of sorts... It will justify these fears and only increase tensions. I have no delusions about NATO and their threat to Russia as they try to expand, but they exist on built fears and desperate politicians trying to keep meaning in their NATO posts by making an enemy out of Russia. Europe can create their own security without hanging on the coattails of the United States. Its sad we people will be pestered by politics and long standing rivalry, many of which occured before we all were even alive. The greatest dangers is third parties inciting fear of their neighbors. Hopefully, time of peace passing through the years will build confidence.

It is now obvious as to why Russia decided to dissemble the USSR. All these client states are just budget entries, nothing but a liability. NATO, and its master the USA, is a toothless tiger, brave only against an enemy 100-fold weaker, diluted by internal enemies and sanctions.

i think this is one plan from the USA our NATO to conquer the Russia...or was part from plans to prevent Russia influence

What is France's goal?

First, the title, “NATO military exercise planned as Baltic States hit panic button.” RT needs to decide whether it is a conveyer of information or of fiction. The worst option is to be a conveyor of fiction disguised as information, because that clarifies nothing, makes nothing better, but it does entrenches negative attitudes in those who are fooled by it and provokes negative reactions in those who are not. Precisely this is the service which the article’s chosen title provides, and RT does not have reason to be proud of this. There is no panic. But there is a sober assessment of Russia’s major exercise in Belarus in the recent past which focussed on an invasion of the Baltics and offered an intimidatory display of Russian chest-thumping to NATO and the Baltics, implying that NATO had better not be serious about defending the Baltics. A similar display was mounted by Moscow a couple of years previously when formations of Russian jets flew from Russia on trajectories heading straight for the three Baltic capitals, and turning back only just short of the border. Really makes Russia a much-loved neighbour. The hostile message of such displays was not lost on NATO, and in response it has formulated plans not for the invasion of Russia, but for the defence of the Baltics. Plans become more usable if they are rehearsed and refined on the basis of practical experience. Hence the upcoming NATO exercises. Of course Russia is able to invade the Baltics if it wishes. It can invade any place if it wishes. But it has to weigh up whether the pain justifies the gain. NATO’s message is that no, it does not. NATO’s concern is not just with the Baltics, but with the alliance as a whole. If its commitment to the Baltics is not credible, then neither would its commitment be to any part of the alliance. And if such commitments come under question, then the Kremlin’s neo-imperial twitches will grow exponentially. NATO is not about to encourage that.

Absolutely pathetic that these three former Soviet-States are allowing the Military Exercises so close to Russian Border's. It's a real shame that Latvia,Lithuania, and Estonia are punching the Panic Button, this will be a huge detriment to the peace in the Baltic's due to the fact that this sort of act will cause paranoia and hysteria amongst the three Baltic States and their Citizen's. Like whenever there is small bang that happens in the Baltic's it may just simply be trash can lid falling down to the ground this is the same mentality that NATO has always had ever since their inception in the late 1940's one small thing and then the Panic Button get's pushed, then all of NATO's politician's use the same old rhetoric "Let's All Blame Russia" Yawn!. I personally think all foreign military exercises on foreign soil are simply a waste of taxpayers money NATO is simply trying to gain more monetary means by fear and paranoia of the old day's and inflicting it on the world, this world has totally moved on from such paranoid delusion's. Only Russia will seem to win out of this due to the fact they have kept their sanity and have learn'd the lesson's from their Soviet past and Russia will live more in harmony in knowing so.

Alles Clare: "What is France's goal?" France realizes that the future of Europe lies with Russia and not with America, which is in decline (athough they will never admit it). Russia will forever be grateful for the mature diplomacy shown by the French.

Kihnu writes, “France realizes that the future of Europe lies with Russia, not with America….” History consistently shows that the future of nothing at all lies with Russia, not even the future of Russia. Because of fundamental flaws of governance that Russia has always exhibited, Russia has shown itself incapable of building a stable nation based on continuity, steady growth, a content population and institutions that are able to withstand the test of time. Every few generations or so, Russia falls into a heap and has to re-invent itself, complete with a brand new history as well, and then lives its new political construct until it, too, proves unable to be sustainable, and it in turn collapses. The present political regime there does not appear to be any different. The future of Europe rests with Europe, not with anyone else. European countries once under Russian domination cannot imagine a much worse nightmare than falling under it again, and they are doing whatever they can to politically distance themselves from Russia and to make themselves an integral part of Europe.

This is all irrelevent to us, a few aircraft burning up airframe and turbine life, more the better I say, do I really care that NATO wastes its resources patrolling a refuse site. The BalTicks don't matter one bit to us. They are just tiny EU member states; they are on the EU books now, thank heavens! They can scrounge off the Gemans now.

Kihnu writes, “France realizes that the future of Europe lies with Russia, not with America….” History consistently shows that not even Russia’s lies with Russia. Through history, Russia has consistently failed to a build a stable nation based on continuity, steady growth, a content population and institutions that are able to withstand the test of time. Every few generations or so, Russia collapses and has to re-invent itself, often complete with a brand new history as well, and then lives its new political construct until it, too, proves unable to be sustainable, and it in turn collapses. The future of Europe rests with Europe, not with anyone else. European countries once under Russian domination cannot imagine a much worse nightmare than falling under it again, and they are doing whatever they can to politically distance themselves from Russia and to make themselves an integral part of Europe.

Marzipan6, The Germans almost had the right idea that their "lebensraum" was in Russia - they just went about it the wrong way. Only Russia can provide the natural resources Europe needs for its development. The French, Germans and the Finns are clever enough to comprehend this and take advantage of it. I agree with your assessment that Russia has had a rough history. No people have suffered as much as the Russians at the hand of foreign invaders: Mongols, Poles, Lithuanians, Turks, French, Germans, etc, and they still have not been vanquished. Had Russia remained a placid little country centered around Pskov, she would have a history to your liking. However, the Russian people (at least the aristocracy) had a dynamism that drove them to expand from the shores of lake Peipsi to the Kamchatka Peninsula. Just give the Russians a little bit of time and peace, and they will amaze you with what they can accomplish. I am firmly convinced that one day soon Europe will turn away from America and look to Russia for leadership and support. Believe me when I say that it would be a good idea if the Estonians did not burn their bridges with Russia. Don't denigrate and underestimate Russia. Marzipan6, take my advice and watch RT TV programs. You will find them very informative and you will be impressed with the variety and quality of the broadcasts. Have you noticed that whenever you sink into your dark anti-Russian mood, that I am always there to lift your spirits with something good to say about Russia?

Kihnu, you say that Russia had a rough history. Everybody – everybody – has had a rough history. This is the world. And yet different peoples have made quite different paths for themselves through history, paths which were both the product of their character and which subsequently became the further shapers of their character. Some chose the path of conquest for the sake of national aggrandizement. Some chose the path of resisting other’s conquest, but also for the sake of their own national aggrandizement. Some chose to fight tyranny for the sake of establishing a peace based on the rule of law and of human dignity. Some chose to fight tyranny for the sake of establishing peace based on another tyranny of their own. Some chose to turn from their past evils in genuine remorse and regret of them. Some simply moved on from past evils, regretted nothing, and hoped no one would notice. Some did not move on at all. Some are still trying to secure their future, based on practicing a just rule of law at home and encouraging the same abroad. You decide where Russia fits. I, too, have good things to say about Russians, Kihnu. At the very depths of Stalinist oppression, when hungry, sick, frightened-out-of-their-wits Baltic deportees stumbled out of their prison wagons into the prison camps at the edge of remote Siberian villages, some locals took pity on them, helped them, and nursed their sick. Some other Red Army soldiers had also showed kindness to the people back in their Baltic homelands as they arrested them and herded them into the cattle wagons. A few even wept. But those are comments about Russians, Kihnu. They are not comments about Russia.

"I am firmly convinced that one day soon Europe will turn away from America and look to Russia for leadership and support. " Oh boy that made my day - how much EU economy is bigger than russian - 10 or 12 times? How much pupulation of EU is bigger than russian - 7 or 8 times? Rich will not ask a beggar what he thinks - weird russian supremacy dreams to continue.

from Poland: "...weird russian supremacy dreams to continue." The France, Germany and Russia will come to an accommodation. Nobody cares about the small potato chip countries in the rest of Europe. Perhaps one day when the Poles answer the knock on their doors they will come face to face with a German - now that would be weird Polish nightmare. America in the near future will not have the inclination, nor the resources, to worry about the Poles when the Germans come knocking on their doors.

You get a laugh every time the Ploting Poles do some analysis. Population of EU 500 million, poulation of Russia 140 million - you don't even need a calculator for this one! and still they can't get it right. But more interestingly add German, French, Italian, Spanish and other old european populations with Russia, now that is a big powerful Super Europe, basically all the power and just a few decision makers. Certainly cuts down on the noise. Now onto the budgets, again Old Europe accounts for the vast majority of GDP in Europe, do they want to keep on sharing, or do they want to concentrate on a strong future for themselves and their citizens. Time to wake up sleapy east Europeans, Super Europe will form with the big boys, they will look towards the other big boy Russia. We both have what each other needs to advance economically with stability. You can see it happening each day. It is a huge problem for the US, who don't want it to happen, don't want a stronger Europe, so they couple as rebels with a joint cause with the east Europeans. The US wants to limit Europe, the East europeans want to antagonise Russia. So the scene is set. The East Europeans think they can spoil things; but look to history, when Germany and Russia want to move, they do, and the US never comes up with the Ante to stop it, So scream and shout and do your little east european tantrums on the floor, but you will never stop the adults of Europe making decisions that are right for them, those decisions are a strong relationship with Russia, so get over it! Your future is as US sponsored banana republics, until the cash runs out!

from Poland, You must be that "famous" Polish mathematician that I keep hearing all the jokes about. Please correct your statistics and then post again.