Baltic Sea security elevated as NATO ministers agree on joint declaration in Brussels

NATO defence ministers have signed a joint declaration aimed at enhancing security in the Baltic Sea region, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence announced.

The agreement was formalised during a meeting of NATO defence ministers held in Brussels, taking place ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague, scheduled for June 24 to 26, 2025, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence, the declaration holds strategic importance and reaffirms the commitment of the participating NATO members to strengthening Baltic Sea security through closer cooperation between NATO and the European Union. It also emphasises coordinated information sharing and the deterrence of hostile activities within the region.

Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson provided further details about the declaration on his social media account, highlighting several common goals agreed upon by the signatories. The countries committed to supporting the commander of the Baltic Task Force in creating an integrated regional maritime picture, with particular attention given to safeguarding critical underwater infrastructure. They also agreed to back NATO initiatives aimed at enhancing situational awareness and deterring hostile actions in the Baltic Sea.

The declaration includes plans for joint efforts in establishing a regional Centre for Underwater Infrastructure (CUI) to support NATO’s Maritime Command (MARCOM) and its Maritime Centre for Critical Underwater Infrastructure Security. In the run-up to the Hague summit, the signatories pledged to actively cooperate in advancing NATO’s work on ensuring security in the Baltic Sea and committed to continuing discussions on further measures to protect critical underwater infrastructure, all in accordance with international law.

This development comes amid broader NATO efforts to address rising security challenges in the Baltic region, particularly concerning vulnerabilities to underwater infrastructure and increasing geopolitical tensions.

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has reiterated the necessity for member countries to raise their defence spending consistently. He emphasised that to meet the alliance’s goals, NATO members must increase their annual defence budgets to reach the target of 5 per cent of GDP, a level pushed for by US President Donald Trump following his return to office. This new spending goal builds on the 2 per cent GDP target set during the 2014 Wales Summit, which was introduced in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

By Tamilla Hasanova