Mark Rutte: Baltic and Black Seas Are Zones of NATO Responbility

The North Atlantic Alliance views the Baltic and Black Seas as zones of responsibility and is ready to respond “devastatingly” to any “contingency,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said at a briefing ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers.

Rutte was responding to a question about rising tensions in the Baltic region following incidents involving damaged undersea communication cables and increased concern over tankers considered by the West to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet.

“As for the Baltic region—though the same applies to the Black Sea and other NATO regions—undersea infrastructure there is under constant threat,” said the NATO chief.

He emphasized that ensuring security in these areas is one reason why NATO countries must increase their defense spending.

Three NATO member states border the Black Sea: Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey.

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Earlier this year, NATO launched Operation Baltic Sentry, significantly boosting its presence in the Baltic region in response to repeated incidents of severed undersea communication cables.

Western nations have accused Russia of involvement in the incidents. Moscow has denied the allegations, claiming the West is using them to restrict Russian oil exports. According to The Wall Street Journal, NATO member states found no evidence during investigations that the cable damage in the Baltic Sea was caused by Russian sabotage.

In response, Estonia has authorized its military to use force against commercial vessels suspected of attempting to damage undersea cables or other infrastructure. In extreme cases, Estonian forces are now allowed to sink non-compliant ships. This decision applies to Estonia’s exclusive economic zone.

On June 3, NATO began its Baltops 2025 naval exercises in the Baltic Sea. These maneuvers have been conducted annually for over 50 years. According to the US Navy, the drills involve 9,000 personnel from 16 countries and 65 pieces of equipment.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko called NATO’s actions provocative and described them as part of the alliance’s preparations for a potential conflict with Moscow.

A week earlier, Russia’s Baltic Fleet announced the start of its own exercises in the Baltic Sea, involving more than 20 ships, 25 aircraft and helicopters, up to 70 units of military and special equipment, and about 3,000 service members.