US Vice Admiral: Baltic Sea Security Vital for Europe and the US

Vice Admiral Jeffrey Thomas Anderson, commander of the US 6th Fleet, stated at a press conference for exercise Baltops 2026 that the security of the Baltic Sea is crucial for Europe and therefore for the United States.

Over the past weeks, allies from 15 countries have trained together in air, land, and maritime domains. The exercises involved high-caliber operations ranging from anti-submarine warfare to expeditionary logistics and amphibious assaults.

Anderson highlighted that the Baltic region has approximately 200 sea ports and handles 15% of global cargo traffic, making it one of the busiest maritime areas. Up to 5,500 ships transit the Baltic Sea each month, underscoring the importance of maritime security. He also noted that communication lines in the Baltic are vital for global trade and economic prosperity.

'We are not training just for a potential crisis; we are working to prevent it by demonstrating our unified strength and resolve,' Anderson said. He added that these exercises improve readiness and serve as an example of NATO allies taking responsibility for European defense.

Sean Flinn, deputy chief of staff for operations at NATO Joint Force Command Brunssum, noted that Baltops 2026 is a practical demonstration of how NATO turns commitment into capabilities. Allies share responsibility and collective action in this strategically important region. Flinn also pointed out that security challenges are becoming more complex, rapidly evolving, and interconnected, requiring forces from different countries, services, and domains to operate as one team.

Exercise Baltops 26 is taking place in the Baltic Sea region, including Latvia, from June 4 to June 19. The National Armed Forces of Latvia previously stated that these are the largest and most strategically significant military exercises in the region, strengthening combat readiness, cooperation, and deterrence capabilities.