Finland to host NATO Baltic summit, address Russia’s 'shadow fleet' sabotage threats
Finland will host a summit for NATO member states with access to the Baltic Sea on Jan. 14 to address regional security threats, including the suspected Russian sabotage, the Finnish president's office announced on Jan. 8.
The meeting, co-organized by Finland and Estonia, will focus on enhancing NATO's presence in the Baltic Sea and responding to risks posed by Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a group of tankers allegedly used for sanction evasion and espionage.
The summit follows recent damage to Baltic Sea infrastructure, with four telecommunication cables and one power cable severed on Dec. 25. Finnish authorities suspect the Russian shadow vessel Eagle S of involvement in the sabotage.
"The topic of the summit will be the security of the Baltic Sea region, especially measures required to secure the critical underwater infrastructure," the statement reads.
Attendees will include NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, leaders from Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, Sweden, and European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen.
NATO has deployed up to 10 vessels to guard undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea until April, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported. The alliance is also bolstering its military presence to enhance situational awareness and deter potential threats.
The alliance has prioritized protecting critical undersea infrastructure since May, with its Maritime Center for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure leading efforts to counter growing Russian sabotage activities.
Denmark recently reported two Russian-registered vessels operating suspiciously near Sweden and Denmark.
Concerns over Russian sabotage have increased since Western nations began supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The summit underscores NATO’s commitment to securing the Baltic Sea amid rising tensions with Moscow.
Boldizsar Gyori
