The view is that if Ukraine will be defeated, or neutralised, Russia would transfer to take the Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Since all three turned full Nato members in 2004, an assault on them would imply that every one 31 members of the alliance are certain to return to their defence beneath Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which holds that an assault on anybody member is an assault on all. Different Baltic regional neighbours would then be subsequent — Finland, Poland, and now Sweden can be within the goal space.
