Baltic Sea faces genuine threat of military conflict — German Foreign Minister

 He made these remarks during the Kiel Security Conference, as reported by LRT.

“This is a region where the risk of military confrontation is real, and where Russia’s hybrid tactics threaten our peace and security,” the minister said.

At the conference, Wadephul highlighted Russia’s so-called shadow fleet — ships capable of damaging underwater communication and power cables — as well as the aggressive maneuvers of Russian military vessels and repeated violations of NATO airspace.

He emphasized that the purpose of these actions is to destabilize Western societies and test their capacity to respond effectively.

Wadephul emphasized that Russian leader Vladimir Putin fully understands the strategic importance of the Baltic region, which makes it essential for NATO to maintain a strong and flexible military presence there.

He stated that Germany is prepared to defend every square meter of NATO territory and plans to increase its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% dedicated to infrastructure and cybersecurity. Previously, Germany’s defense expenditures were at 2.1% of GDP.

The United States is also urging NATO members to develop clear plans to raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP.