Overview

• Wadephul described the Baltic Sea as a strategic linchpin for Europe’s security and warned that Russia aims to undermine NATO unity through hybrid tactics.
• He highlighted Russia’s shadow fleet and suspected use of civilian ships to deploy troops as part of a covert effort to evade detection.
• Berlin pledged to boost its defense budget to 3.5% of GDP and earmark an extra 1.5% for reinforcing infrastructure resilience and cybersecurity.
• Latvia’s foreign minister reported a sharp rise in hybrid attacks in the region, cautioning that any undersea disruption could trigger widespread ecological and economic damage.
• NATO’s Baltic Sentry mission, initiated in January, and discussions at the Kiel Security Conference are central to efforts to protect critical undersea networks and maintain a flexible military presence.