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“Sisu” and security in the Baltic Sea region: Foreign Minister Wadephul travels to Finland
Exercise Northern Star. Finnish tracked vehicles in convoy at an undisclosed training ground less than 50 kilometres from the Russian border in Finland where Nato troops are taking part in Exercise Northern Star, led by the Finnish military, with soldiers working alongside coalition allies and training Nato soldiers together to deter aggressive neighbouring states. The large scale ground exercise, comprising of around 4,000 coalition troops include the use of new technologies, including both reconnaissance and attack drones alongside a newly adopted Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) used by British forces. Picture date: Wednesday May 27, 2026. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire URN:84759668 © PA Wire
Foreign Minister Wadephul is travelling to Helsinki and the Finnish-Russian border on 15 and 16 July. His visit will focus on the hybrid threats emanating from Russia, the protection of the Baltic Sea and the close cooperation between Germany and Finland within the EU and NATO.
Security on the EU’s external border and NATO’s eastern flank
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has changed the very essence of the European security order. In light of this new threat, we Europeans have agreed to significantly increase our defence budget. However, the effects of the war go far beyond the fighting itself. Russia is increasingly relying on hybrid means to put pressure on European societies and weaken Europe’s cohesion.
Against this backdrop, Finland has a key role to play as an immediate neighbour of Russia and a member of the EU and NATO. Its border with Russia means Finland knows, more than almost any other country, that strengthening security involves more than just investing in military equipment.
Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul commented:
Finland’s accession changed NATO. The country’s border with Russia is longer than that of all other NATO partners together. Finland knows from experience that peace and security cannot be taken for granted. With Finland, NATO is stronger and more effective than it was before Putin attacked Ukraine. That is a real security gain for Europe.
Finland’s resilience and civil emergency preparedness show us how we too can counter challenges even more effectively. Because they don’t merely begin with a crisis, but with preparations for one. Defensive capabilities are not an abstract concept; they are a genuine prerequisite for peace and security.
In Helsinki, Foreign Minister Wadephul will meet with his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen to discuss the security situation in Europe, support for Ukraine and cooperation between Germany and Finland.
One focus of his trip will be the question of how Europe can strengthen its resilience to new threats. Among other things, Foreign Minister Wadephul will visit the Vaalimaa border crossing between Finland and Russia to learn about the situation at this border and NATO flank which has been closed to passenger traffic since 2023.
Fighting hybrid threats
Russia has long used a broad spectrum of hybrid instruments – including sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation, GPS jamming and attacks on critical infrastructure – to weaken our societal cohesion and sow insecurity. The recurring GPS jamming in the Baltic Sea region and incidents in the Finnish border area show that these threats do not stop at borders, but directly impact NATO and EU territory.
Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul commented:
We must all realise that Europe’s security today is being defended not only in Ukraine. It is being determined at the Finnish-Russian border, in the Baltic Sea and in elections in Europe – in other words, wherever Russia is trying to exert a harmful influence and to divide our societies.
During his trip, Foreign Minister Wadephul will also visit a civil emergency preparedness facility in the centre of Helsinki and learn about how Finland is handling crisis preparedness and societal resilience. Like many Finnish cities, Helsinki has enough bomb shelters to accommodate all its inhabitants with space left over. Foreign Minister Wadephul’s itinerary further includes a visit to a Finnish reserve officers’ school, where he will see firsthand how comprehensively Finland organises its defence capabilities – from training reservists to using new technologies such as drones.
The security of the Baltic Sea is European security
Finland is one of the countries whose security and prosperity are particularly dependent on a secure Baltic Sea. The Baltic serves it as a vital artery for trade and energy in particular. Germany and Finland are working together to better protect the Baltic from hybrid threats and further strengthen Europe’s capability to act.
The security of the Baltic is therefore a particular focus of this trip. On board the Finnish border patrol ship Turva, Foreign Minister Wadephul will learn about the maritime security situation, the tasks of Finnish border protection and the protection of critical infrastructure.
Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul said:
Finland is one of the countries whose security and prosperity – like ours – are particularly dependent on free trade and secure supply routes. A safe Baltic Sea is crucial for 95% of Finland’s supply of goods. That’s why we will not allow Moscow to target critical infrastructure or to endanger supply routes, for instance using its dilapidated shadow fleet. We NATO partners will therefore continue to strengthen the Baltic Sentry Mission.
Germany and Finland – together for a strong Europe
Germany and Finland enjoy a close partnership within the European Union and NATO. Alongside security matters, their cooperation also focuses on making Europe’s economy fit for the future. One of their shared aims is to advance the establishment of a European hydrogen economy.
Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul said:
Moreover, Germany and Finland are united in their determination to enhance Europe’s competitiveness. This requires a modern EU budget that sets the proper priorities. We are agreed that we need to take decisions and dismantle bureaucratic obstacles in Brussels more quickly and more efficiently. Global energy prices also show us that we need to work with European companies to resolutely drive forward the rapid expansion of key future sectors, such as a productive European hydrogen economy that ensures secure, future-oriented value creation for all Baltic partners.