Our cohesion in the EU, in NATO and beyond is our common life insurance policy. On the island of Bornholm, you sense more than anywhere else how the pulsing arteries of the Baltic Sea bring together our people, our economies and our democracies, thereby forging ever closer ties. With every new shipping route, every new data cable and every new wind turbine, we are moving closer together.

However, in Bornholm, it is also particularly plain that, with regard to hybrid threats, the situation has become extremely difficult. Undersea cables are being cut, data cables severed and power cables damaged. Russia’s shadow fleet is wreaking havoc and not just filling Russian war coffers but also threatening security and the environment in the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

The incidents show that our open and interconnected societies, our communication channels and our critical infrastructure are vulnerable and that we need to work together to protect them. That is why it was so important that we did not end cooperation during Germany’s Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States three years ago following Russia’s aggression but that we worked without Russia to strengthen and expand our cooperation.

We will further enhance security in the Baltic Sea region through increased NATO patrols, closer exchange of information and joint exercises. Together we will ensure that sanctions against Russia are implemented and the Russian shadow fleet pushed back. Our talks today and tomorrow will help us in this endeavour.

Putin talks about peace yet day in day out inflicts more destruction, death and suffering on Ukraine. Russia is the only obstacle to peace in Ukraine and in Europe. The proposal for a cease-fire without preconditions has been on the table for a long time. Ukraine stands ready. Putin now needs to make a move.

It’s clear that peace negotiations only create lasting peace when, based on the UN Charter, they respect and uphold the sovereignty of a country. Conversely, a sham peace or a dictated peace through which the aggressor reaps the rewards only leads to more aggression in the long term and therefore to yet more insecurity for us in the Baltic Sea region and beyond. As Europeans and close neighbours of Ukraine, we are thus making plain in Bornholm that we are standing up for Ukraine, for our European peace order and for international law.

This is the spirit in which we made progress in the E3 talks with Ukraine and the United States. This commitment is something we are going to resolutely continue. We will be just as determined in keeping up the pressure on Russia to move the country to engage in serious negotiations.

At the same time, we Europeans are assuming more responsibility and increasing our investments in security and defence. Here, we are digging deeper than ever in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. The message is clear and unambiguous: Germany is assuming its role in leading our continent. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to lay important foundations during my time as Foreign Minister.