Baltic Sea NATO allies and EU agree on cooperation to protect critical undersea infrastructure

The Baltic Sea NATO allies and the European Union have agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding to protect critical undersea infrastructure.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will promote practical cooperation between the Baltic Sea countries in this respect. The start of negotiations on the MoU was announced at the Baltic Sea NATO Allies Summit in Helsinki on 14 January 2025. 

The MoU was signed at the ministerial meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in Vihula, Estonia, on 16 May 2025. 

On behalf of Finland, the document was signed by Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen.

“The Memorandum of Understanding highlights the significance of political cooperation between the Baltic Sea countries in a time when Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has increased the threat level in the Baltic Sea. It is important to protect critical underwater infrastructure against both unintentional and intentional actions,” Foreign Minister Valtonen says.