Why Is Vice President Biden Going to the Baltics?

With the specter of Russian aggression looming large over Europe, Vice President Joe Biden will meet with leaders this week who represent Poland and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Biden’s message to them over the next two days will be clear — the United States, NATO and the EU have your back, but please let us handle it and don’t make things worse.

We might get serious if Putin moves beyond Ukraine but today’s sanctions were weak enough that he could take the whole country without much consequence. I can see how the neighborhood is getting nervous.