At present, with conflict brewing between the two largest inheritors of the Soviet legacy, Russia and Ukraine, it is difficult to predict the future of the Baltic States. They are now part of NATO, which means that the United States is obliged by treaty to defend their sovereignty. Still, if Vladimir Putin decided to reassert his nation’s traditional claims over the Baltics by invading them, there is little anyone could do to stop him short of starting a major war. But perhaps this view is overly pessimistic, since currently Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are well on their way down the path of integration with Europe, which is rightly seen as the path to prosperity. If all goes well, their membership in the European Union will allow them to realize their aspirations. For example, many young Balts are currently taking advantage of the EU’s free movement of labor to work in Germany or the UK. At the same time, more visitors from abroad will come and get to know this picturesque and pleasant (at least during the short summers) corner of Europe. It is difficult to say if the coming years will bring them closer together, or whether the current “unity in difference” between the three Baltic neighbors will continue to hold. For despite their common history, the three Baltic States are not really very similar to each other. They have been compared to sisters who co-exist in a family not due to personal choice, but to an inherited common destiny.