Baltic Sea countries to intensify cooperation in countering hybrid threats

The interior ministers of Finland, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark will meet in Gdánsk, Poland, on 28 October. The ministers will discuss countering hybrid threats posed by Russia and Belarus, and evacuation practices in the countries in the Baltic Sea region. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

In recent years, the increasingly tense geopolitical situation has manifested itself in the Baltic Sea region as various hybrid operations The aim of the meeting is to intensify cooperation between the countries in protecting critical infrastructure, countering the instrumentalisation of migration and developing anti-drone capabilities, among other things.

“Recent events in Poland, Denmark, Germany and Lithuania have shown that now there are also attempts to influence Europe from the air. The EU Member States must have tools to detect and counter such activities. Particularly the Member States on the EU’s eastern external border play a key role when it comes to the security of Europe as a whole. That is why the Union’s support for countering drones and other airborne threats is essential during the current funding period, which will end in 2027. What we need now is decisions and concrete actions,” says Minister of the Interior Rantanen.

The ministers will also discuss practices and cooperation related to the evacuation of the population. The Baltic Sea region is not currently facing a military threat, but the authorities must prepare for all scenarios. The Finnish Ministry of the Interior published the updated instructions for planning and carrying out evacuations in January 2024.

In connection with the meeting, the aim is to issue a joint statement in which the countries commit to strengthening their crisis preparedness and resilience against hybrid threats.

Inquiries:
Laura Yli-Vakkuri, Director General, tel. +358 40 720 22 16, [email protected]