Joint statement by the Nordic-Baltic-Weimar Ministers of Foreign Affairs

We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the Minister Delegate for Europe of France, have met today on the island of Bornholm to address Russia’s continued illegal aggression against Ukraine, including its implications for European security.

We reaffirm that a sovereign, independent, and democratic Ukraine is integral to Euro-Atlantic and global security. Respect for territorial integrity is a fundamental principle of international law. We welcome progress made at the London meeting between the E3, Ukraine, and the United States. We deem it important that this process continues.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, supported and facilitated by some third countries, we have been among the strongest supporters of Ukraine and have provided more than EUR 53 billion in military support and more than EUR 47 billion in civilian support. We will continue our political, military, and civilian support for Ukraine for as long as necessary to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to reach a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace, based on the UN Charter and international law, securing Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty, and strengthening Europe’s security. We reaffirm our support for the efforts of the Coalition of the Willing and are exploring ways of how best to contribute. Together we will pursue multiple lines of action to support Ukraine’s long-term defence and security.

We continue to stand by our commitment regarding Ukraine’s irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration.    

Russia remains the most significant and direct threat to our security. We remain committed to strengthening our defence readiness and will work to become better equipped to act and deal responsibly and jointly with immediate and future challenges and threats with a 360° approach. We support the ambition that we have to increase defence spending substantially in order to fulfil NATO’s Capability Targets and take greater responsibility, as Europeans, for Euro-Atlantic Security. The implementation of the European Commission’s White Paper on European Defence Readiness 2030 and the ReArm Europe Plan represent important steps towards this end. We are determined to contribute to scaling up the European defence technological and industrial base and closing critical capability gaps. This requires, inter alia, strategic partnerships, more joint development, procurement, and investments in order to send stronger demand signals to the European defence industry. To turn vision into reality, we must move swiftly and also work towards further deepening cooperation between NATO and EU.

We are committed to further limit Russia’s ability to wage a war of aggression against Ukraine by stepping up pressure on Russia, including through the swift adoption of additional sanctions. We look forward to the upcoming EU Action Plan on phasing out Russian energy imports as an important tool for reducing Russia’s revenues from energy exports, which are financing the war in Ukraine. We also recall that subject to EU law, Russia’s assets should remain immobilised until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused by this war.

We strongly condemn Russia’s intensifying campaign of hybrid actions against Europe aimed at disrupting our support to Ukraine and influencing and destabilizing the security of our democracies including through sabotage, information manipulation, cyberattacks, instrumentalization of migration, disinformation campaigns, and election interference. 
Collectively, we have raised our common situational awareness and we will continue to increase our information-sharing as well as our maritime presence, monitoring, and surveillance to better anticipate, deter, and counter maritime threats and other hybrid operations.

Russia´s use of the so-called shadow fleet aims to evade our sanctions and fuel its war economy and also presents risks internationally to the environment, maritime safety and security, including in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.  

We are determined to take further coordinated steps to deter and counter Russia’s shadow fleet and acknowledge that all measures must be implementable, legally sound, and in full compliance with international law. We will remind relevant flag States of their legal obligations under UNCLOS to exercise effective jurisdiction and control over vessels flying their flag and to ensure their full compliance with applicable international rules and standards. Building on existing efforts, we look forward to working together with participating G7 members in a Shadow Fleet Task Force to enhance monitoring and detection and to otherwise constrain the use of shadow fleets. 

This meeting on Bornholm is an expression of our commitment to deepen regional cooperation, and to strengthen security and resilience in the Nordic Baltic Sea Region.