Brussels targets China and Russia over incidents in the Baltic and calls for an EU-wide reaction

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BRUSSELS Nov. 27 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The European Commission has asked this Wednesday for a reaction from the European Union as a whole to the incidents with submarine cables in the Baltic Sea, after pointing out that Russia “is on a war footing” and China “on the rise.”

“We must be alert and act,” said the Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, in a debate in the European Parliament about the incidents recorded in two fiber optic cables that link Finland with Germany and Lithuania with Sweden.

Faced with a region, the Baltic Sea, that is “especially vulnerable” to hybrid attacks, Dalli recalled that these episodes are familiar, in reference to previous damage to connecting cables in the area.

“With Russia on a war footing and China on the rise, Europe must be vigilant to guarantee its security and remain united in the face of hybrid threats,” he indicated, referring to the threat posed by both actors. The first signs point to a Chinese ship, although several Baltic countries have warned of possible sabotage that could be linked to Russia.

In this sense, the Maltese commissioner has reiterated that the 27 “cannot stand idly by” and the EU has to play a role in defending the security and resilience of national critical infrastructures.

The outgoing commissioner, since the new European Executive has been approved by the European Parliament this Wednesday and will enter on Sunday, has defended the plans put in place by Brussels in recent years to maintain the security of Europe

“Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression with hostile actors who commit sabotage only increases our need for security. This Commission is proud to have included the resilience of critical infrastructure on the EU agenda,” he stressed, although he has recognized that the next Commission will have to continue taking steps. “We must remain vigilant, increase our own resistance and be prepared to respond quickly and decisively,” he summarized.