Baltic Sea nations, allies to step up protection of underwater infrastructure

Ten European countries have agreed to strengthen the protection of critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, the Baltic News Service (BNS) reported on Friday, reported Xinhua.

The foreign ministers of Lithuania, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Poland, Norway, Sweden, and Germany signed a memorandum in Tallinn on Friday under the framework of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), according to BNS.

The agreement aims to enhance cooperation in improving the resilience of undersea cables and pipelines, safeguarding supply chain security, conducting underwater monitoring, and expanding rapid repair capabilities.

The memorandum also outlines commitments on information protection, the exploration of joint funding sources, and coordination of joint actions.

"This document demonstrates a strong political will to cooperate in ensuring the region's energy, economic, and digital security," the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Baltic Sea has witnessed several breaches of underwater infrastructure in recent years. In response, NATO launched its Baltic Sentry surveillance mission in January to prevent potential attacks on the region's subsea infrastructure.