NATO launched 'Baltic Sentry', a new naval mission to prevent attacks on cable infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The alliance says Russia is to blame for recent incidents, but can increased NATO patrols make a difference?

"Had it continued for another 12 minutes, the carnage would have been much worse than the four basic cables that were there," Finnish President Alexander Stubb said.

NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region after a string of incidents that have heightened concerns about possible Russian activities, the alliance’s leader said.

Baltic Sea NATO member countries plan to discuss security in the region at a summit in Helsinki on Tuesday that comes in the wake of a number of recent acts of suspected sabotage at sea. The main purpose of the summit is to find ways to better protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and to counter the threat posed by the so-called Russian shadow fleet.

Lithuania is to increase its defense spending to between 5 percent and 6 percent of its GDP from 2026, matching Trump's target.

The incidents contributed to mounting European fears of sabotage, as NATO officials accuse Russia of a growing “destabilization campaign” over their military support for Ukraine and sanctions against Moscow.

Lithuania's president says his country has made the decision to raise its spending on defense to between 5% and 6% of overall national economic output starting in 2026.

By Anne Kauranen, Essi Lehto and Andreas Rinke HELSINKI (Reuters) -NATO countries will deploy frigates, patrol aircraft and naval drones in the Baltic Sea to help protect critical infrastructure and reserve the right to take action against ships suspected of posing a security threat,

Secretary-General Mark Rutte said at a meeting in Helsinki with the leaders of NATO countries located on the Baltic Sea that the effort would be dubbed Baltic Sentry. “Across the alliance ...

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, front left, and Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, front right, talk during a summit of the Baltic Sea NATO countries in Helsinki, Finland, Tuesday ...

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says the alliance ... in the Baltic Sea,” Rutte told reporters after a meeting in Helsinki with the leaders of Allied Baltic nations. Announcing the new ...

Finnish President Alexander Stubb co-hosted the Baltic Sea Nato Allies Summit alongside Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal in Helsinki on Tuesday. The summit brought together the leaders of the eight Nato nations with a Baltic Sea coastline.