The Economic Development Foundation, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul, organized a meeting titled "The Maritime Dimension of Energy Security in the Baltic and Black Sea: Shared Challenges, Shared Horizons" on 3 December 2025.

The opening speeches of the meeting, which was held within the framework of Poland’s presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, were delivered by IKV Chairperson Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, Ambassador of Poland to Türkiye Maciej Lang, and Director General of the Council of the Baltic Sea States Gustav Lindström.

Ambassador of Poland to Türkiye Maciej Lang recalled that Poland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States as of July 2025 and emphasized that Russia’s attack on Ukraine has turned the Baltic and Black Seas into two interconnected strategic fronts on NATO’s eastern flank. Ambassador Lang noted that protecting the resilience of energy supply chains and critical infrastructure such as submarine communication cables and maritime transport routes are among the top priorities, and stated that Türkiye and Poland are two complementary allied countries in this field.

Starting his speech by celebrating IKV’s 60th anniversary, IKV Chairperson Ayhan Zeytinoğlu noted that the Foundation continues its mission on Türkiye’s path to EU integration. Chairperson Zeytinoğlu stated that the Baltic and Black Seas have faced similar geopolitical risks following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and that the importance of the security of NATO’s eastern flank and the Montreux Convention regarding regional stability has increased further in this context. Pointing out that the war in Ukraine has led to a dangerous escalation in the Black Sea through attacks extending to Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone, Chairperson Zeytinoğlu emphasized that the security of maritime transport routes and offshore and subsea energy infrastructure is critical for Türkiye’s energy supply security, and stated that the conference would contribute to the development of new analyses and policy proposals in these areas.

Delivering the final opening speech via video message, Director General of the Council of the Baltic Sea States Gustav Lindström described the Baltic Sea as a “chessboard” for hybrid operations, drawing attention to the risks posed by shadow fleets and cable disruptions. Lindström emphasized that damages to energy infrastructure can incur daily costs of up to 75 million euros and that repairs can take months. Lindström also stated that unexploded ordnance on the seabed continues to pose a serious obstacle to new energy projects.

Speakers of the special session titled "The Role of Maritime Spaces in Energy Security: A Comparative Perspective ot the Baltic Region and the Black Sea Region" were Rafal Hryniewiecki, Deputy General Director of the Department of Economic Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, and Maja Urbanska, Head of the Political Section at the EU Delegation to Türkiye. The first speaker of the special session, Rafal Hryniewiecki, Deputy General Director of the Department of Economic Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, defined energy security not as a technical detail but as a matter of national sovereignty and stated that Poland had shifted from land-based routes to a sea-oriented strategy. Hryniewiecki noted that Poland’s maritime-focused energy strategy is based on LNG and pipeline infrastructure, regional cooperation, and offshore wind-green hydrogen investments, and drew attention to a new legal regulation granting the navy the authority to use weapons to protect critical maritime infrastructure. Emphasizing the strategic importance of the Bosporus, Hryniewiecki called for the creation of a joint security network extending from the Baltic to the Black Sea against hybrid threats.

The second speaker of the special session, Maja Urbanska, Head of the Political Section at the EU Delegation to Türkiye, emphasized that support for Ukraine is at the core of the EU’s Black Sea strategy and that economic and environmental goals cannot be achieved without security. Urbanska stated that Türkiye is an indispensable partner for the EU due to its strategic position and strength in the Black Sea and that security in the Black Sea can only be ensured through joint efforts involving all littoral states.

The keynote speech of the meeting was delivered by Maciej Filip Bukowski, Head of the Energy and Resilience Program of the Casimir Pulaski Foundation. Bukowski described the Baltic Sea as the center of hybrid threats and the Black Sea as the center of asymmetric warfare and stated that regional security could only be ensured through a strong strategic partnership including Türkiye. Bukowski defined the Baltic and Black Seas as the two strategic fronts of the European energy system and emphasized that pipelines, subsea cables, LNG terminals, and offshore wind farms are becoming increasingly vulnerable to hybrid threats and cyberattacks. Bukowski underlined that if cooperation focused on intelligence sharing and energy resilience is developed among Poland, Türkiye, and Ukraine, a truly functioning security architecture could be established along the Baltic-Black Sea line.

The first speaker of the panel titled “The Role of Maritime Spaces in Energy Security: A Comparative Look at the Baltic and Black Sea Regions,” moderated by Karol Wasilewski, Head of Turkey, Caucasus and Central Asia Department at the Polish Center for Eastern Studies, was Zuzanna Nowak, Executive Director of the Opportunity Institute for Foreign Affairs. Nowak stated that 48% of Poland’s current energy supply depends on the Baltic Sea and that this ratio will exceed 60% with planned projects, highlighting the security risks posed by energy concentration in a single region. Drawing attention to the vulnerability of the northern route, which replaced Russian supply, to sabotage and hybrid threats, Nowak described the Baltic and Black Seas as two strategic fronts of Europe’s energy security and emphasized the need to deepen cooperation between these two regions.

The second speaker of the panel, Prof. Mitat Çelikpala, Vice Rector of Kadir Has University, described the Black Sea as an intercontinental strategic corridor and evaluated energy security from the perspectives of production, transportation, and critical infrastructure protection. He noted that the region’s natural gas production potential is under threat due to war risks and Russia’s maritime jurisdiction claims and emphasized that the risks of mines and military intervention make transportation difficult in this corridor, through which approximately 40% of Russian oil trade passes. Stressing the vital importance of protecting critical infrastructure such as ports and pipelines, Prof. Çelikpala stated that the EU should develop an inclusive cooperation policy for the region involving littoral actors such as Türkiye.

The third speaker of the panel, Prof. Aylin Ünver Noi, emphasized that Türkiye’s Black Sea policy has historically been shaped around peace, stability, and the Montreux Convention. Stating that Türkiye has risen to the status of an energy producer through recent deep-sea drilling and natural gas discoveries, Prof. Noi expressed that the principle of “regional ownership” is being applied against the increasing threats to mine and infrastructure security due to the war in Ukraine. Highlighting the importance of cooperation initiatives such as the "Mine Countermeasures Task Group," Prof. Noi stressed that the meticulous implementation of the Montreux Convention is critical in preventing the spread of the war.

The first speaker of the second panel titled “Security of Sea Lines of Communication and Maritime Energy Infrastructure: Best Practices and Lessons Learned,” moderated by Daniel Piekarski, Head of Energy Security Unit, Department of Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, was Prof. Pınar İpek. Prof. İpek emphasized that the global energy transition has become directly linked to maritime security in the Black Sea and Baltic. Stating that with the reduction of fossil fuel imports from Russia, LNG trade and the strategic importance of straits and canals such as Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and Suez have increased, Prof. İpek noted that protecting submarine infrastructure against sabotage and hybrid threats is of vital importance in efforts to create alternatives to Russian gas. She emphasized the need to strengthen regional cooperation, especially among Türkiye, Romania, and Bulgaria, against the threats in the region.

The second speaker of the panel, Prof. Özgün Erler Bayır, emphasized that despite rapid technological progress in the maritime and energy sectors, cybersecurity measures remain insufficient. In addition to traditional maritime security risks, she noted that cyberattacks targeting port systems, pipelines, and marine energy infrastructure can seriously disrupt energy supply and supply chains. Referring to the 2017 Maersk attack and the attack on the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline as examples, Prof. Bayır recalled these incidents. Prof. Bayır stated that, due to Türkiye’s strong digital infrastructure and strategic location, the EU and NATO should deepen their cooperation with Türkiye in the field of cybersecurity.

The third speaker of the panel, journalist and independent energy analyst Wojciech Jakóbik, stated that since 2022, Russia has deliberately escalated security risks in the Baltic and Black Seas through hybrid attacks and harassment of offshore and subsea infrastructure. Reminding that within the EU, there is a political consensus to phase out Russian gas by the end of 2027, Jakóbik stated that Poland began preparations before 2022 through LNG terminals, the Norwegian line, and long-term supply agreements to reduce its dependence on Russian gas. Highlighting the strategic similarity between the Baltic Sea and the Turkish Straits, Jakóbik stated that Türkiye and Poland share common ground on maritime security.

The final speaker of the panel, Dr. Cansu Ünal Öngören, Board Member of Reges Elektrik, addressed investment decisions in offshore wind power plants from the perspective of the private sector. Stating that wind efficiency decreases as one moves inland from the coast, she noted that offshore plants in areas like the Baltic Sea are much more efficient than onshore plants. Dr. Öngören emphasized that the balance of operating expenses and capital expenditures is decisive in investment decisions. Dr. Öngören stated that in strategic regions such as the Baltic Sea, political financing risk directly affects costs and that investors expect a return on investment within 15 years from a plant with a lifespan of 25–30 years and this is only possible in a safe and stable environment ensured by decision-makers and navies.

The closing speech of the event was delivered by IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas. In her speech, IKV Secretary General Nas expressed her sincere thanks to the organizing institutions, speakers, and participants.