Germany and Denmark Urge NATO Action After Baltic Sea Cable Sabotage

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned about the dangers posed by Russia's shadow fleet after repeated incidents of damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea according to German news outlet Welt.

Speaking on January 28 in Berlin alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Scholz stated that the damage in the Baltic Sea "shows the threat posed by the Russian shadow fleet," On January 26, a fiber-optic cable used for data transmission between Sweden and Latvia was severely damaged.

Scholz emphasized that NATO's Baltic Sentry operation aims to enhance the protection of the Baltic Sea and critical infrastructure on the seabed, reiterating that NATO remains the guarantor of collective security.

"With NATO's Baltic Sentry operation, we will improve the protection of the Baltic Sea and the critical infrastructure on the seabed, NATO remains the guarantor of our common security." Scholz said. "We agree that we must strengthen NATO's European pillar and further increase defense spending.”

Frederiksen underscored the importance of greater efforts within Europe, stating, "We need a stronger, more determined Europe that is able to defend itself and promote European interests," said the Danish Prime Minister. "We need to take more responsibility for our own security and for strengthening our defense industry."

In 2025, Russia allocated $142 billion to its military. Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, over $400 billion has been funneled into the military-industrial complex through banks, with $210–$250 billion provided as low-interest loans to defense contractors to produce war-related goods and services.

In total, Russia has spent over $550 billion on the war since 2022, with its 2025 budget signaling further increases in military spending.