As the 2016 Nato summit begins in Warsaw, many could be forgiven for thinking the negotiations in the Polish capital are of little consequence for Scotland.

But this summit looks to be the most important since the end of the Cold War, and of vital importance to small states and the continuance of the European project.

Admittedly, it's a hard organisation to like. The shiny corporate messaging, and the bland spokespeople can't hide the fact that Nato is a military alliance that does not shy away from its core purpose.

That doesn't make its existence any less necessary, or its achievements less impressive. In the grand scheme of the "European project" it was NATO which allowed European governments to focus their minds and move on to form the EU: If we can agree to stop pointing our guns at each other, it certainly makes trade a lot easier.

(As an aside on the subject of the EU and Nato: As a consensus organisation, all Nato states must agree on the summit declaration. Thus, little Iceland could, in theory overrule the UK -- and while you'd think this would make the Brexiteers beg to "take back control", they don't seem to have thought it through. Consistency never was their strong point.)

This is a point worth making as we move to the first major international conference after a Brexit vote that was disastrous for Scotland: In Warsaw, European states must come together and make an honest appraisal of the threats facing us.

Aside from the consequences of Brexit, the biggest threat is a familiar one. Now, while much of the rhetoric peddled by the old Cold Warriors in their second flush of relevance can be tiresome; and while the tough talk deployed by UK prime ministers and Cabinet ministers can be overblown, the challenge which Russia poses the West is very real, even if we can safely say that this is not the second Cold War.

Sitting from the security of our position in northwestern Europe, the military aspect of it does not seem that way, no matter how many Russian submarines come into our waters.

But the threat posed to the post-war international system, and the guarantees of sovereignty it gives to small states like those in the Baltics, is important to remember. Russian activities in the region, which have included simulated military invasions of the Baltic states, have been enormously unsettling, especially after the invasion and occupation of Crimea.

That's why I and my SNP colleagues support the deployment of 1000 Nato troops in the Baltic States and Poland as a vital "trip wire" against any potential Crimea-like funny business in that region. Our belief in independence for Scotland doesn't mean anything if we are not willing to ensure that it is also extended to other small states in Europe and the rest of the world, and I hope this deployment will give people living in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania vital reassurance that their sovereignty is important.

But it's also important that this is not the only big thing to come from this summit. Nato must also restate its values as a transparent, defensive and non-threatening alliance of democracies committed to upholding peace and prosperity in Europe. This deployment of troops in eastern Europe must also be met with an increase in dialogue with Russia, with the possibility of firm agreements on arms control and troop numbers in the region.

And just as we listen to our Nato allies in eastern Europe, it is vital that we listen to those closer to home as well. As I wrote earlier, Russian incursions have also increased in the North Atlantic, and we should listen to the defence minister of Norway, Ine Søreide, who called in January for increased cooperation between Nato states in the maritime domain in Northern Europe.

Scotland is a country with a coastline thrusting out into the North Atlantic and the strategically vital Iceland gap. It is a disgrace that there are currently no major surface vessels based in Scotland, and my SNP colleagues and I will continue to hold the UK Government to account for the lack of attention paid to this most basic of tasks.

Indeed, the last time a Russian aircraft carrier group came calling, in the Moray Firth in 2014, it took a Royal Navy destroyer a whole 24 hours to come to intercept it from Portsmouth. I hope the forum provided at the Warsaw summit will allow the Prime Minister time to listen to the concerns of our closest neighbours.

The idea of bringing European and Atlantic nations together to work for the common good is one that should not be allowed to be cast aside, even as Brexit puts that idea under strain. While I won't be in Warsaw myself, I wish all those attending the best of luck on their way to furthering the ideals of a continent "whole, free and at peace".

Martin Docherty-Hughes is MP for West Dunbartonshire and the SNP's delegate to the Nato parliamentary assembly.