Russia's proposed baltic sea border changes spark german concern

Berlin responded to reports about Russian plans to unilaterally change the Baltic Sea borders. "The German government takes note of media reports about Russia's proposed border changes in the Baltic Sea. We are observing the situation very closely," said a German Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

The spokesperson emphasized that it is unclear what precisely the Russian plans would entail. "International law requires consensus among all concerned neighbouring states before any border is changed," he noted.

The Moscow Times reported on Wednesday that Russian authorities want to unilaterally change the country's maritime borders with Lithuania and Finland in the Baltic Sea. The authors of the project, presented on Tuesday by the Russian Defence Ministry, argue that the current border, in place since 1985, "does not fully reflect current geographic conditions," as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported, citing a resolution from the Russian government.

The Kremlin has decided to change the borders in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and near Baltiysk and Zelenogradsk in the Kaliningrad Oblast. The adjustments proposed by the Russian side include several islands near the coast of Finland and the areas around the Vistula and Curonian Spits.

The President and Prime Minister of Finland, Alexander Stubb and Petteri Orpo expressed their stance on the reports of Russia's plans to unilaterally change borders in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. "We approach this calmly and based on facts," they declared. According to experts, there is currently no talk of provocation or a hybrid operation.

Finnish leaders emphasized that Russia "has not taken any initiative to contact the Finnish side on this matter."