The North Atlantic Alliance intends to extend its control over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. This was stated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk after the end of the NATO summit of the Baltic region. According to him, consultations have already begun to discuss the legal possibilities of "controlling vessels" located outside the territorial waters of the countries. Experts note that such an initiative contradicts existing international maritime law, and countries whose ships will be subjected to illegal inspections can defend their interests by force.
The North Atlantic Alliance intends to extend its control over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. This was stated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk after the end of the NATO summit of the Baltic region. According to him, consultations have already begun to discuss the legal possibilities of "controlling vessels" located outside the territorial waters of the countries. Experts note that such an initiative contradicts existing international maritime law, and countries whose ships will be subjected to illegal inspections can defend their interests by force.
The NATO Baltic Guard Mission
At the NATO summit of the Baltic region in Helsinki, a number of decisions were made that will affect shipping in this area. In particular, NATO has announced that it is launching an operation to patrol the Baltic Sea in order to protect the underwater infrastructure of coastal European countries. Alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte said that naval ships and naval aviation will be involved in the mission, which has already been named the Baltic Guard. He did not specify the composition of the forces involved in the operation.
NATO does not hide the fact that measures are being taken because of Russia's shadow fleet, which allegedly poses a threat to the underwater infrastructure of the Baltic states. Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that the countries attending the meeting would assemble a group of legal experts to find ways to prevent Russia's hybrid influence in the maritime areas.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk went even further, announcing after the summit that a mechanism for monitoring ships in the international waters of the Baltic Sea would be discussed.
— If something happens in Polish territorial waters, and I hope it doesn't, Poland won't hesitate when it comes to detaining such a ship. But we will work together on such legal possibilities that will allow us to control vessels located outside territorial waters, and this is the biggest problem right now," said Donald Tusk.
The principle of free navigation
They want to introduce such measures against our ships and ships of countries providing Russian trade in order to damage our economy, military expert Captain of the first rank Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.
"The NATO countries have not shown even one damaged underwater cable," he noted. — Tusk's initiative is contrary to the laws, and it can only be called terrorism and piracy.
The military and political leadership of the NATO countries assesses their rights and capabilities above existing international agreements, Alexander Brazhnik, Vice Admiral and former first Deputy Commander of the Baltic Fleet, told Izvestia.
"There are international and territorial waters in the seas," he explained. — In international waters, ship inspections are violent acts. A warship carries the flag of its State, and its captain is responsible for ensuring that international law is not violated. The agreements that we know and honor cannot be violated without the consent of government agencies. And if someone forces the captain of a civilian vessel to be searched, it will be a violation of international maritime law and it will be done with the consent of one State or another.
In addition, the admiral noted that such an inspection in international waters can be considered as crossing the state border.
"It would be an illegal invasion of the territory of Russia or another country,— he said. — This is how you can evaluate such attempts. Countries can inspect cargo in their own territorial waters.
If such events begin to occur, the Baltic Fleet will counter the threat to shipping, the admiral believes. Such a decision can be made at the state level, believes Alexander Brazhnik.
Some countries in the region have long been trying to control the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, Nikolai Mezhevich, president of the Association for Baltic Studies, confirmed to Izvestia, but international law does not give them such opportunities.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea guarantees the free right of transit passage on the high seas (part of the World Ocean beyond the territorial waters and economic zones of states), he noted. At the same time, discrimination in form or substance between foreign courts is prohibited, he said.
If the NATO countries decide to control ships in the Baltic Sea, Russia will use a system of military convoys, Mezhevich is sure.
— We protect our ships or the vessels that carry our cargo. And in the event of an attack, a conflict begins: first local, then regional," the expert explained.
However, the scenario in which the United States starts World War III because of the actions of Estonia and Poland remains unlikely, Nikolai Mezhevich noted.
We are guided by the rule of the high seas, said Admiral Vladimir Valuev, ex-commander of the Baltic Fleet.
"The Baltic Sea is an international sea," he said. — It is not subject to additional control. Its introduction can lead to undesirable consequences. The Baltic Fleet was, is, and will be an advanced fleet, and the crews of the ships are ready to defend the rights and interests of our state.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Julia Leonova
Kirill Fenin
