Sabotage in the Baltic Sea Sparks Calls for New Maritime Borders

The Baltic Sea has risen to the center of global politics after acts of sabotage targeted its underwater infrastructure. As a result, Finnish authorities stopped an oil tanker and conducted an inspection, which revealed that the vessel required repairs before it could continue its journey.

The perpetrator of the sabotage is officially unknown, but there is near-unanimous consensus that Russia and Vladimir Putin are behind it. In other words, this is part of Putin's hybrid warfare against Western nations.

It was therefore intriguing when Finnish international politics researcher Risto E. J. Penttilä raised the idea that Finland and Estonia could divide the international waters of the Baltic Sea between themselves. In other words, these countries would agree on a border line such that their boundaries would meet directly, leaving no international waters in between.

The aim would not be to hinder maritime traffic to Russia’s ports at the far end of the Gulf of Finland, but rather to significantly improve the ability to monitor vessels in what would become national waters instead of international waters. This would make it easier to repeatedly catch ships involved in potential sabotage.

It remains to be seen whether Penttilä's proposal will lead to changes, as Russia would almost certainly oppose it. In doing so, Russia would inadvertently confirm its involvement in the sabotage and its intention to continue such actions in the future.

However, Russia is unlikely to refrain from such activities, no matter how much embarrassment they cause. This is because the country lacks a free press and freedom of speech, meaning that its citizens would have no understanding of the fact that Putin’s regime is once again making their nation a subject of ridicule.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland Detains Russia-Linked Ship Suspected of Cable Damage
Nordic Nations Unite Against the Growing Threat of Cross-Border Organized Crime
Military confrontation between China and USA highly probable in near future

Military confrontation between China and USA highly probable in near future

For over half a century, China has wanted to incorporate the independent island of Taiwan - which remained so after the civil war - into itself. However, it has been unable to do so because the militarily superior USA has declared that it will intervene in such an act.

Nevertheless, China has become increasingly strong economically and militarily over the decades, leading it to once again assert its claim to the island. These claims have been emphasized by military displays in the waters around Taiwan.

In a recent interview, Finnish expert on international politics Risto E.J. Penttilä said that he believes there will be some kind of military confrontation between the USA and China in the near future. This could mean, for example, a collision between two aircrafts or something similar.

However, it is clear that there are not yet the elements of a major war. Instead, it is clear that the USA and China are in a cold war with no end in sight. And we can only hope that it will not turn into a hot war at some point e.g. due to a human error.

If an actual war is avoided, the question arises as to when the cold war will end. In my own estimation, it will end if China is able to become militarily stronger than its rival, which would allow it to incorporate Taiwan into itself. If this does not happen - and the USA remains stronger - the cold war will eventually thaw as China declares that economic cooperation is more sensible than continuing the cold war due to a reluctant island nation.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Will China ally with Russia against Ukraine?
The main consequence of Putin´s attack to Ukraine
Once upon a time in China and Taiwan