Russia suggests changing boundaries of territorial waters in Baltic Sea | Global News

The Russian Defence Ministry’s proposal to revise the borders of Russian territorial waters in the Baltic Sea has sparked controversy and drawn criticism from NATO-members Finland and Lithuania. The draft government decree, dated May 21, suggests adjusting the border around Russian islands in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and around Kaliningrad.

According to the summary of the draft decree, “The state border of the Russian Federation at sea will change.” The defence ministry argues that the current border, established in 1985, does not fully correspond to modern cartographical coordinates due to outdated nautical charts.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb expressed concern over the lack of consultation with Finland regarding the proposed changes. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen emphasized the importance of Russia abiding by international maritime laws.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis condemned the Russian proposal as an escalation against NATO and the EU, calling for a firm response.

The potential border adjustment, if approved, would come into force in January 2025. The situation is being closely monitored by the affected countries, with tensions rising over the perceived unilateral action by Russia in redefining its territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.