HEARING —Deterrence on NATO’s Eastern Flank
Monday, November 17, 2025
3:30 PM
Russell Senate Office Building Room 220
Stream live here
Russia’s recent incursions in Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, and Romanian airspace are part of a campaign to probe for weaknesses along NATO’s eastern flank. With these actions, Moscow aims to gather real-time intelligence on Western capabilities, test the limits of the West’s response, fracture and debilitate NATO, and erode confidence in the U.S. commitment to collective security.
As Russia intensifies its war of aggression on Ukraine, it simultaneously escalates its shadow war against the West. The Pentagon’s recent decision to reduce the U.S. troop presence in Romania has alarmed many frontline U.S. allies who are fearful that it will invite further Russian aggression. In order to deepen defense cooperation with these allies and direct U.S. support where the threat is the highest, bipartisan members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission introduced the Eastern Flank Strategic Partnership Act.
This hearing will assess Russia’s overt and covert tactics, evaluate allied readiness to respond effectively, and determine how the United States and partners can deter and defeat Russian aggression.
Witnesses:
Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Estonia
Seth Jones, President, Defense and Security Department, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Peter Rough, Director, Center on Europe and Eurasia, Hudson Institute
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