Baltic Sea was an important area for Germany, including due to the Nord Stream gas pipelines located at its bottom, but the Bundeswehr was not particularly interested in this area. Only after full-scale aggression Russia to Ukraine in February 2022 Berlin “discovered the geopolitical importance of the Baltic Sea” – notes “Rzeczpospolita”.
Now Germany they perceive the sea in a completely different way and we can talk about ““epochal change” of Berlin's defense and foreign policy (Zeitenwende), which was announced by the Chancellor shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine Olaf Scholz. This is evidenced by the opening of the command center NATO to monitor the Baltic Sea region (Command Task Force Baltic – CTF Baltic) in Rostock, as well as plans to place a German brigade in Lithuania.
“Republic” indicates that the mentioned epoch-making change in the neighbor's defense policy Polish already covers 400 thousand square kilometers.
Baltic Sea. Germany is striving for security in the area and protecting its interests
Germany has the largest fleet in the Baltic Sea and the most extensive infrastructurehence the decision to locate the command center in Rostock, even though Poland or Sweden.
The Operational Command of the Branches of the Armed Forces informed a few days ago that Poland had sent Baltic to CTF nine officers and non-commissioned officersboth from the Maritime Operations Center – Maritime Component Command in Gdynia, subordinated to the Operational Command of the Armed Forces, and from units of the General Command of the Armed Forces.
Activities under CTF Baltic focus on monitoring the sea and underwater activity, including securing infrastructure, e.g. communication cables and gas pipelines that run on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Germany's move comes after the words of the local Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and the military, according to which, by 2029, Russia will be able to take military action against NATO.
– Germany is aware that it has special responsibility for the Baltic Sea region due to its military potential and political importance – said Kai-Olaf Lang, an expert at the Berlin think tank Wissenschaft und Politik, in an interview with “Rzeczpospolita”. He added that this area is becoming “the focal point of German security policy and military involvement in NATO” and it is no accident that it was chosen as the place to implement the “epochal change”.
The expert also emphasized that the Baltic Sea plays an important logistical role in both the Baltic countries and support Finland. Moreover, the sea route may prove “necessary in the event of a threat to the Suwałki Isthmus.”
Not only Germany. Great Britain has joined cooperation in the Baltic Sea
Although Germany plays a key role in ensuring security in the Baltic Sea, it does not operate independently within the CTF Baltic – as indicated by the Operational Command of the Armed Forces, together (together with Berlin) 13 countries participate and the staff consists of 160 people. “If necessary, this number may increase to 240 people,” the statement added.
Germany remembers the events related to the destruction of Nord Stream, which is why it is important for them to protect their own critical infrastructure. Even though there is no talk of imminent reconstruction of the gas pipeline, in Germany there is no shortage of supporters of resuming close relations with Russia. This was the purpose of a meeting of influential politicians from both countries with the participation of the head of the supervisory board Gazprom Mikhail Shvydkoy in Baku.
– The chancellor's office was informed about this, which means that official Berlin had no objection to resuming informal talks with Kremlin – explained an interlocutor from the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an interview with “Rzeczpospolita”.
It turns out, however, that not only Germany is striving for security in the Baltic Sea, but also… Great Britainin relation to the northern areas of the continent. That is why Berlin and London signed an agreement on military cooperation. “It also covers the region of the Baltic states, where Great Britain supports Estonia and Canada Latviaand Germany Lithuania“- we read.