NATO's quickly evolving relationship with Central and Eastern Europe is forming a new basis for security in the region. Enlargement into the former-Soviet bloc, the conflict over Kosovo, and developing foreign and domestic events are drastically changing the technical aspects of security management, the perceptions of security held by the region's countries, and the actual security situation on the ground. Almost NATO broadly examines the region's current security situation and specifically explores NATO's relationship with Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and the Baltic states—all non-members, but each with its own expectations for membership and relationship to the organization. Russia's interaction with NATO since the end of the Cold War and that country's crucial role in the region's future rounds out the regional coverage. The book's connective tissue is a broader concept of security that encompasses the European Union, environmental concerns, minority issues, and economic and political performance as Europe moves into the 21st century. The interrelationship and significance of varied concepts of security are summarized and further developed in the concluding chapter, along with an effort to place developments in the region within a more theoretical perspective. The result is a book of significant breadth and substantial utility, one invaluable to readers trying to understand the region and NATO's role in its security.

"Almost NATO is almost a perfect introduction to the problems and prospects of NATO enlargement in Eastern Europe. The ten contributed chapters present a solid general overview of NATO's evolution toward 21st-century security and political roles in and out of Europe. The case studies approach to the military, social, ethnic, political, and economic factors associated with the pursuit of NATO membership is insightful and is assisted by this volume's reliance on a diverse set of American and European research professionals. The detail on Central and Eastern Europe is the book's objective, and it is well met. Highly recommended." - CHOICE

"This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking symposium of general defense analysts and particular country specialists who, on balance, are critical of NATO's further enlargement into east central and southeastern Europe." - Slavic Review