Geopolitics in the Baltic Sea region: The "Zeitenwende" in the context of critical maritime infrastructure, escalation threats and the German willingness to lead

Göran Swistek and Michael Paul

No 9/2023, SWP Comments from Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), German Institute for International and Security Affairs

Abstract: Due to its strategic immensity and opportunities for covert action, the maritime domain has become the most prominent arena of modern-day great power rivalry. In the shadow of this confrontation and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the Baltic Sea is now the focus of geopolitical interest and conflict. An expression of this is the increase in hybrid activities, from acts of sabotage to the use of unidentified drones. For the Western states of the Baltic Sea region in particular, all of this highlights their dependence on fossil resources, critical maritime infrastructure, and secure trade routes. In response to the war against Ukraine and Russian naval activity in the Baltic Sea, littoral states have placed their militaries on heightened readiness. In the midst of this crisis situation, NATO allies and future allies remain locked in an unnecessary dispute over force dispositions, new structures and leadership roles. As a result, there is little sign of the German "Zeitenwende" in the Baltic Sea region.

Keywords: Ostseeraum; Geopolitik; kritische maritime Infrastruktur; Großmachtrivalität; Russland; Nato; Seeverbindungen; power rivalry; Baltic Sea region; Russian war of aggression against Ukraine; critical maritime infrastructure; "Zeitenwende"; NATO (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cis and nep-tra
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:swpcom:92023

DOI: 10.18449/2023C09

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