Threat of conflict in the Baltic Sea is real, says German foreign minister

The Baltic Sea region has become a dangerous geopolitical flashpoint, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Friday, warning that the threat of a military confrontation was "real".

“[This is] a zone where the threat of military confrontation is real. A zone where Russia’s aggressive hybrid activities are undermining our peace and security,” Wadephul said during the Kiel Security Conference, where political decision-makers, senior military officials, and experts gathered to assess the evolving security environment in the region.

In his remarks, Wadephul mentioned the so-called Russian shadow fleet ships that drop anchors in an attempt to damage undersea data and power cables. He also pointed to aggressive behaviour by Russian warships and violations of NATO airspace by Russian aircraft.

“These hybrid operations and military provocations are dangerous,” Wadephul said, adding that "their goal is to destabilise our societies and test our ability to respond."

According to the minister, Russian President Vladimir Putin is acutely aware of the Baltic Sea’s strategic importance. This, Wadephul argued, made a strong and flexible military presence in the region essential.

“Germany will help defend every square inch of NATO territory,” he declared, adding that Berlin is prepared to allocate 3.5% of its GDP to defence, and an additional 1.5% to infrastructure and cybersecurity. Germany’s current defence spending stands at around 2.1% of GDP.

Germany is also deploying an armoured brigade to Lithuania, making it the first permanent overseas deployment since the Second World War.