some democracies thus reinforcing other negative phenomena that create instability. In these conditions, the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and its coherence become more important than ever. The weakening of the ties that keep the European Union together may bring Russia to understanding that its aggressive policies are working and encourage it to proceed with its power politics. Threats have become more complex and their sources more varied in recent decades. Asymmetric threats that know no state borders and whose sources are difficult to detect have emerged and their impact on security is comparable to traditional security threats. Today it is increasingly clear that security is influenced by economic instability; developments in the cyberspace; technology-related threats; radicalisation and terrorism; organised crime and corruption; migration flows; and variety of other emergencies. The instability of the global economy makes the international security environment more complicated and reduces the ability of states and international organisations to react. The Estonian economy is closely connected to the worlds’. Estonia is therefore significantly influenced by global trends, including economic crises and the instability of important international markets. As a small country, Estonia is more vulnerable to changes in the global economic environment than large ones, since such changes have a faster and deeper impact on a small state, which is less able to manage risks and deal with their consequences. Changes in the global energy market, as well as in the established structure of energy supply between the European Union and Russia, may affect the Estonian economy. The cyberspace has transformed human interaction and has become a part of global human development, but also a political and military battleground; public services depend on it. Information and communication technology and media can be used even more effectively to influence people and their level of information how people are informed. The influence of the reality distorting information has created tension in international relations, caused the radicalisation of certain groups and harmed the cohesion of society. Manipulating with and spreading of false information is widely used, also on a state level, to escalate conflicts. The number of violations in the cyberspace is increasing, and the perpetrators include terrorist groups and organised crime syndicates. Attacks are also launched by individuals and groups whose activity is too often supported and directed by states. Estonia’s digital services are integrated in large extent to the society. Without them it would be impossible to function as a modern state, and this increases the impact that potential attacks have on Nations security. Due to the connectivity between communications and information systems, an interruption in one vital service may influence the availability of many others, thereby endangering the functioning of the state as a whole. Cyber security and digital services are fields where Estonia’s expertise is trusted on a global level, and Estonia is able to influence their development internationally. Not only Estonian residents but also the constantly growing community of international entrepreneurs related to Estonia depend on the quality and safety of Estonian digital services. E-residency has created responsibilities and obligations for the state also in relation to people who are not Estonian citizens and who do not physically live in the Republic of Estonia. Being responsible for guarding the European Union’s border, Estonia plays an important role in maintaining the reliability of the Schengen area. Ineffective or non-existent control of the internal borders of the Schengen area may be exploited to extend the reach of international 5