The Baltic Sea has always been of great strategic importance as a lifeline for the countries bordering on it – for exchange, for fishing but also as a gateway to the Atlantic and thus also to the world’s trade routes and flows of goods. At the same time, its blue waters always reflect the conflicts of the day. As a result of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the security situation in the Baltic region has undergone a fundamental shift in recent years. The formerly neutral states of Finland and Sweden have become members of NATO. And with its air policing in the Baltic States and the stationing of a Bundeswehr brigade in Lithuania, Germany is assuming quite concrete responsibility for security in the Baltic Sea region.

Comprehensive security in the Baltic Sea region

This shift is also reflected in the Council of the Baltic Sea States. Founded in 1992 at the initiative of Germany and Denmark to overcome the political division in the region, it was redefined during Germany’s Presidency of the Council in 2022/23 as a close alliance of partners with shared values, centring on comprehensive security in the Baltic Sea region.

The current Finnish Presidency is continuing this policy: in Porvoo (approximately 50 km from Helsinki), one item on the agenda will be joint support for Ukraine. In the course of their consultations, the Foreign Ministers will build on the Ukraine Recovery Conference held in Berlin yesterday and the day before and emphasise once again that the Baltic Sea states stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and will continue to do everything in their power to support it.

Their talks will also focus on Russia’s hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea region. Russia is trying to destabilise the societies in the region by deploying various hybrid tactics such as disinformation, but also deliberate instrumentalisation of the suffering of migrants on the border to Belarus or disruption of air traffic by blocking GPS signals, for example. The Council of the Baltic Sea States is resolutely working to counter this. In this context, the question of how to strengthen provision for times of crisis and rapid response capability and protect critical infrastructure also has a central role to play.

The meeting in Porvoo marks the end of Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States. From 1 July, Estonia will take up the baton.