Baltic Sea Nations Hold Ministerial Meeting Focused on Drone Threats and Counter-Drone Measures

Baltic Sea Nations Hold Ministerial Meeting Focused on Drone Threats and Counter-Drone Measures

According to a statement from the Finnish government, interior ministers or their representatives from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany gathered on June 17–18 for a Baltic Sea Security ministerial working group meeting to discuss drone-related threats in the region and coordinate joint countermeasures. The meeting was chaired by Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen.

Russia Identified as the Most Serious Threat

Minister Rantanen stated: "Due to our geographical location, we bear a special responsibility for the security of all of Europe. Russia is the most serious security threat facing Europe."

EU Drone and Counter-Drone Action Plan on the Agenda

The statement noted that the meeting's agenda included the European Commission's Security Action Plan on Drones and Counter-Drones and its implementation progress. "The action plan spans multiple government ministries and is designed to complement existing national measures. For interior ministries, key issues include law enforcement, critical infrastructure protection, external border control, and hybrid threats."

The statement further noted that many countries in the Baltic Sea region have already invested heavily in countering drone threats — through contingency planning, cross-agency cooperation, situational awareness, and public alert systems. "In Finland, for example, the police, Border Guard, and Defence Forces have been working closely together to detect and counter drones."

Minister Rantanen emphasized: "Drone-related incidents do not respect national borders. That is precisely why the Baltic Sea countries must take joint action to address these threats."

Ukrainian Interior Minister Participates via Video Link

Ukraine's Interior Minister also attended the meeting via video conference.

Finland Allocates €50.2 Million to Strengthen Counter-Drone Capabilities

During this spring's spending limit discussions, the Finnish government agreed to bolster its counter-drone capabilities. A total of €50.2 million has been allocated in a supplementary budget for this purpose, of which €44 million goes to the Finnish Border Guard and €6.2 million to police units.

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