German foreign minister calls for new sanctions against Russia

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has urged that new sanctions be imposed against Russia in light of the damage to the Estlink 2 cable between Finland and Estonia—Finnish authorities have accused Russia of involvement in the incident, RIA Novosti writes.

The Estlink 2 power transmission link, which connects Finland and Estonia, became disconnected on Dec. 25. Finnish police suspect that the cable may have been damaged by the anchor of the Eagle S, a tanker registered with the Cook Islands. They claim that the tanker is involved in the transport of Russian energy resources.

“The EU must impose new sanctions against Russia,” Baerbock stated.

She also called for enhanced protection of critical infrastructure and increased investments in national defense.

“We are discussing with our NATO partners how to best protect the Baltic Sea from hybrid threats,” Baerbock noted.