Defense policies of East-Central European countries after 1989

The 2014 Ukrainian-Crimean crisis has raised serious questions in the West about Russian motivations and future policy directions. Now more than ever it is imperative to explore the defensive perceptions reactions and preparations of neighbouring countries the Czech Republic Hungary Poland and Slovakia. Is there a convergence of their approaches along similar paths or do their different cultures and historical experiences prefigure a divergence of their defense policies? While Slovakia Hungary and Czech Republic all seem to have little concern about Russia's policies in Ukraine the Polish response has been uniquely strong and militarized. This book will explore reasons for the different responses to the crisis.