NATO chief vows to consider Poland's proposal on military patrols in Baltic Sea

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has pledged to consider Poland's proposal on military patrols in the Baltic Sea, said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, reporting on the information he had received from Rutte.

The prime minister, who revealed Rutte's message while opening a cabinet meeting on December 31, said that security will dominate the political agenda in 2025, aligning with Poland’s imminent assumption of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, Caliber.Az reports via Polish media.

"The Polish voice has started influencing specific decisions," Tusk remarked, referencing his recent talks with European officials from Estonia and Finland. He highlighted growing regional concerns following a series of unusual incidents in the Baltic Sea. These included disruptions to underwater cables and increased activity by Russian and Chinese ships, raising alarms among bordering nations.

The Polish prime minister proposed that the Baltic Sea be treated as an area requiring enhanced military oversight, akin to NATO’s airspace protection measures. “After these strange situations with Russian and Chinese ships, and after the disruption of various underwater cables in the Baltic, we proposed that the Baltic become an area of enhanced military control by NATO and the Baltic states,” Tusk stated.

This call for action comes amidst heightened scrutiny following last week’s damage to underwater cables connecting Finland and Estonia. European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas attributed the incident to a vessel from Moscow’s "shadow fleet," a group of aging ships used by Russia to transport oil clandestinely, evading EU sanctions on Russian oil trade.

The Baltic Sea has been a hotspot for maritime tensions throughout 2024, with several incidents spotlighting vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. Tusk’s appeal for NATO involvement underscores the urgent need for bolstered security in the region, a priority that is expected to gain further momentum during Poland’s EU presidency.

By Khagan Isayev