Håkan Edström is an associate professor in Political Science and a senior lecturer in War Studies at the Swedish Defence University, Stockholm.Jacob Westberg is an associate professor in War Studies and a senior lecturer in Security policy and Strategy at the Swedish Defence University, Stockholm.

'Edstrom and Westberg present a seminal and meticulously researched study of the deteriorating European security environment, a disturbing reality underscored by the tragic Russian aggression in Ukraine. Leveraging rigorous analysis of strategically significant variables, including geographical factors, historical experiences, common trials, power dynamics, and military priorities in 11 European nations liberated from Soviet domination, the authors convincingly urge defense planners and leaders of Central Europe, NATO, and the European Union to adopt innovative strategies, military practices, and new defense capabilities to shore up national and collective security.'Steven Lambakis, Editor-in-Chief, Comparative Strategy and Senior Defense Analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy, Fairfax, VA, USA'This path-breaking research monograph is essential reading for all those concerned with the changing dynamics of European security, defence cooperation and military strategy. Edström and Westberg have written the first comprehensive comparative study of the military strategies of eleven new NATO members from Central and Eastern Europe. Their analysis is grounded on a sophisticated research design and is logically structured, clearly written, and rich in empirical detail. The authors draw on their extensive knowledge of the relevant scholarly literature to provide a theoretically nuanced analysis of the critical factors shaping military strategy in NATO’s new European allies. Essential reading in these times of crises and insecurity.' Adrian Hyde-Price, Professor of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

• PART I - Theoretical & Methodological Considerations: Framing the Research Design 1. Strategic Adjustment in Central and Eastern Europe 2. Analysing and Explaining Strategic Adjustment and Diversity 3. Operationalising the Dependent Variable: Defence Strategy PART II - The Empirical Exploration 4. The Strategy of Bulgaria 5. The Strategy of Croatia 6. The Strategy of the Czech Republic (Czechia) 7. The Strategy of Estonia 8. The Strategy of Hungary 9. The Strategy of Latvia 10. The Strategy of Lithuania 11. The Strategy of Poland 12. The Strategy of Romania 13. The Strategy of Slovakia 14. The Strategy of Slovenia PART III - Explaining the Findings 15. The Aggregated Result of the Empirical Exploration 16. Explaining the Diversity of Strategic Responses 17. Conclusions

Håkan Edström is an associate professor in Political Science and a senior lecturer in War Studies at the Swedish Defence University, Stockholm.Jacob Westberg is an associate professor in War Studies and a senior lecturer in Security policy and Strategy at the Swedish Defence University, Stockholm.

'Edstrom and Westberg present a seminal and meticulously researched study of the deteriorating European security environment, a disturbing reality underscored by the tragic Russian aggression in Ukraine. Leveraging rigorous analysis of strategically significant variables, including geographical factors, historical experiences, common trials, power dynamics, and military priorities in 11 European nations liberated from Soviet domination, the authors convincingly urge defense planners and leaders of Central Europe, NATO, and the European Union to adopt innovative strategies, military practices, and new defense capabilities to shore up national and collective security.'Steven Lambakis, Editor-in-Chief, Comparative Strategy and Senior Defense Analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy, Fairfax, VA, USA'This path-breaking research monograph is essential reading for all those concerned with the changing dynamics of European security, defence cooperation and military strategy. Edström and Westberg have written the first comprehensive comparative study of the military strategies of eleven new NATO members from Central and Eastern Europe. Their analysis is grounded on a sophisticated research design and is logically structured, clearly written, and rich in empirical detail. The authors draw on their extensive knowledge of the relevant scholarly literature to provide a theoretically nuanced analysis of the critical factors shaping military strategy in NATO’s new European allies. Essential reading in these times of crises and insecurity.' Adrian Hyde-Price, Professor of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

• PART I - Theoretical & Methodological Considerations: Framing the Research Design 1. Strategic Adjustment in Central and Eastern Europe 2. Analysing and Explaining Strategic Adjustment and Diversity 3. Operationalising the Dependent Variable: Defence Strategy PART II - The Empirical Exploration 4. The Strategy of Bulgaria 5. The Strategy of Croatia 6. The Strategy of the Czech Republic (Czechia) 7. The Strategy of Estonia 8. The Strategy of Hungary 9. The Strategy of Latvia 10. The Strategy of Lithuania 11. The Strategy of Poland 12. The Strategy of Romania 13. The Strategy of Slovakia 14. The Strategy of Slovenia PART III - Explaining the Findings 15. The Aggregated Result of the Empirical Exploration 16. Explaining the Diversity of Strategic Responses 17. Conclusions

Håkan Edström is an associate professor in Political Science and a senior lecturer in War Studies at the Swedish Defence University, Stockholm.Jacob Westberg is an associate professor in War Studies and a senior lecturer in Security policy and Strategy at the Swedish Defence University, Stockholm.

'Edstrom and Westberg present a seminal and meticulously researched study of the deteriorating European security environment, a disturbing reality underscored by the tragic Russian aggression in Ukraine. Leveraging rigorous analysis of strategically significant variables, including geographical factors, historical experiences, common trials, power dynamics, and military priorities in 11 European nations liberated from Soviet domination, the authors convincingly urge defense planners and leaders of Central Europe, NATO, and the European Union to adopt innovative strategies, military practices, and new defense capabilities to shore up national and collective security.'Steven Lambakis, Editor-in-Chief, Comparative Strategy and Senior Defense Analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy, Fairfax, VA, USA'This path-breaking research monograph is essential reading for all those concerned with the changing dynamics of European security, defence cooperation and military strategy. Edström and Westberg have written the first comprehensive comparative study of the military strategies of eleven new NATO members from Central and Eastern Europe. Their analysis is grounded on a sophisticated research design and is logically structured, clearly written, and rich in empirical detail. The authors draw on their extensive knowledge of the relevant scholarly literature to provide a theoretically nuanced analysis of the critical factors shaping military strategy in NATO’s new European allies. Essential reading in these times of crises and insecurity.' Adrian Hyde-Price, Professor of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

• PART I - Theoretical & Methodological Considerations: Framing the Research Design 1. Strategic Adjustment in Central and Eastern Europe 2. Analysing and Explaining Strategic Adjustment and Diversity 3. Operationalising the Dependent Variable: Defence Strategy PART II - The Empirical Exploration 4. The Strategy of Bulgaria 5. The Strategy of Croatia 6. The Strategy of the Czech Republic (Czechia) 7. The Strategy of Estonia 8. The Strategy of Hungary 9. The Strategy of Latvia 10. The Strategy of Lithuania 11. The Strategy of Poland 12. The Strategy of Romania 13. The Strategy of Slovakia 14. The Strategy of Slovenia PART III - Explaining the Findings 15. The Aggregated Result of the Empirical Exploration 16. Explaining the Diversity of Strategic Responses 17. Conclusions