is pleased to invite you to the expert discussion:

EU's Mare Nostrum?
The Baltic Sea Region and European Security

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25 March 2026, 10:00-13:00
The Polish Institute of International Affairs Office
Brussels, Business & Science Poland, Rue Belliard 40, 5th floor
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The Baltic Sea region’s strategic location at the intersection of the Euro-Atlantic area and Russia has made it a key theatre in Moscow’s confrontation with the West. This proximity heightens the risk of a potential military escalation—whether deliberate, inadvertent, or driven by miscalculation—while also reflecting the broader transformation of Europe’s security order. Russia’s war against Ukraine, Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO, Russia’s intensified military activity and hybrid warfare amid the US strategic pivot away from Europe, is fundamentally reshaping the security landscape. Against this backdrop, the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) has prepared the report “(Un)safe Waters. The Baltic Sea Region and the Redefinition of Security in Europe”, which examines these evolving dynamics and their implications for stability and cooperation in the region.

The aim of the policy dialogue is to present the findings of the report and discuss them with Brussels-based policy-makers and experts.

This event with PISM takes place within the scope of EPC’s Northern Europe Platform (NEP), which provides a forum for analysis and debate on developments in the Nordic, Baltic and Arctic regions.

10:00 doors open, tea and coffee
10:30-10:35 Welcome and opening remarks

• Melchior Szczepanik, Head of Brussels Office, PISM

10:35-11:45 Panel 1: The Baltic Test Case: Europe’s Military Responsibility in a Changing Security Architecture

Russia’s evolving military presence, alongside growing uncertainty surrounding US policy and engagement in Europe, is transforming the security environment of the Baltic Sea Region. Its strategic location at the interface of European, Atlantic and Russian space has made it one of key theatres. This discussion will focus on the strategies, military capabilities and command structures that Europe must develop to ensure credible defence and deterrence in such rapidly changing framework.

Speakers:

• Rear Admiral Ignacio Cuartero Lorenzo, Director for Concepts and Capabilities, EU Military Staff
• Major General Mark Pullan, Director of the Operations and Planning Division, International Military Staff, NATO
• Aleksandra Kozioł, European Security Analyst, PISM
• Maria Martisiute, Policy Analyst, EPC

Moderator: Niklas Helwig, Leading Researcher, Finnish Institute for International Affairs

11:50-13:00 Panel 2: Resilience Below the Surface: Safeguarding Baltic Energy Routes and Subsea Infrastructure

This panel will explore how the Baltic Sea’s role as a key energy corridor (for oil, gas, and electricity trade) and a hub for new offshore power generation infrastructure is increasing exposure to hybrid pressure. Experts will discuss risks to critical assets such as LNG and oil terminals, ports, pipelines, subsea power links and data cables, alongside concerns linked to the activity of Russia’s “shadow fleet”.

The discussion will also focus on practical resilience measures, including the protection of seabed infrastructure, faster incident response and attribution, and better coordination between national and private sector efforts.

Speakers:

• Wioletta Dunin-Majewska, Deputy Head of Cabinet of the Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen
• Varg Folkman, Policy Analyst, EPC
• Tymon Pastucha, Energy Policy Analyst, PISM
• Representative of the Danish Cable Protection Committee (tbc)

Moderator: Jakub Groszkowski, Policy Expert, Brussels Office of Polish Energy Group

Lunch and opportunity for networking