Interior ministers from nine Baltic Sea states met in Helsinki on 17 and 18 June to coordinate their response to drone-related threats to public safety and critical infrastructure. The ministerial group on Baltic Sea Security, chaired by Finland’s Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, brought together representatives of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany.
“Our cooperation is more important than ever in the changed security situation in the Baltic Sea region, where drones pose growing risks to public safety, critical infrastructure and national security,” Rantanen said. The agenda centred on the European Commission’s Action Plan on Drone and Counter-Drone Security and how joint measures can complement national efforts in law enforcement, border control and hybrid-threat response.
Ukraine’s interior minister joined by video link to share the country’s extensive experience countering drones. Ministers stressed that incidents do not respect national borders, requiring coordinated action across the region, while pledging continued support for Ukraine.
Finland used the meeting to confirm new funding: €50.2 million earmarked in a supplementary budget to strengthen counter-drone capabilities, with €44 million going to the Border Guard and €6.2 million to the police. The investment targets drone detection, identification and interception, including along the eastern border.
