The Baltic Sea is increasingly becoming a focus of security policy tensions, according to German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU). Speaking at the opening of the Kiel Security Conference, the CDU politician said that Russia views the Baltic region as a growing conflict zone. The Baltic Sea is a central route for military reinforcements and supplies – Moscow is aware of this, Wadephul said.
At the conference in Schleswig-Holstein’s capital, political decision-makers, senior military officers and experts are discussing the changed security situation in the Baltic region. Alongside Wadephul, Romania’s Foreign Minister Oana Toiu also attended the opening. Wadephul listed specific incidents: acts of sabotage, espionage, GPS jamming, drones and combat aircraft in NATO airspace, the passage of Russia’s shadow fleet, and Russian research vessels near critical infrastructure.
These incidents show why exercises such as the NATO naval exercise Baltops are necessary and why investment in security is needed, he said. The exercise, which ends at the start of Kiel Week (June 20–28), is being led by the US Navy for the 55th time. Wadephul expressed confidence that the United States will continue to show engagement in the Baltic region. The US knows this is a sensitive point in the alliance, and joint cohesion must be demonstrated, he said.
At the same time, the US expects European countries to invest more in their own security. This demand did not only arise with the current US administration, Wadephul emphasized. Europe long hesitated to take deterrence and defense seriously. Today, most European countries are making sustained investments in their armed forces. Regarding the Bundeswehr, Wadephul acknowledged that it has not yet reached its goal, but the military is getting stronger every day. More funding for security is indispensable given countries that seek a rupture in transatlantic relations – including Russia.
Source: www.zeit.de
