The debate, held at the UN headquarters in New York under the presidency of Greece, aimed to strengthen cooperation on maritime security. However, the session quickly turned into a platform for geopolitical disputes.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened the session by emphasizing the importance of maritime security to global stability, stating, “Without maritime security, there can be no global security.” Despite this, member states used the forum to air grievances and level accusations.
The United States accused Iran of supporting Houthi attacks on commercial shipping and labeled China a “threat to global maritime security,” pointing to Chinese actions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea as coercive and dangerous.
China rejected the accusations, instead blaming the US for destabilizing the region through military presence and provocations under the guise of "freedom of navigation."
Russia used the opportunity to criticize NATO, the EU, and what it called “illegal unilateral sanctions.” Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya accused Estonia of attempting to board a Russian-linked tanker, the Jaguar (IMO: 9293002), near the Baltic Sea. According to Nebenzya, Estonian forces tried to board the vessel twice by helicopter and later attempted to ram it with a naval vessel.
Estonia's Ministry of Defence denied the claims, stating that while its naval assets and a helicopter were near the Jaguar, no boarding was attempted and no offensive actions were taken. Estonian authorities did request the vessel to change course, but the ship did not comply.
Russia dismissed Estonia’s response and framed the incident as a violation of international maritime law, comparing the attempted actions to piracy and warning of dangerous precedents. “Stopping a vessel on any grounds not listed in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is a grave attack on freedom of navigation,” said Nebenzya.
Russia warned that such incidents could lead to military escalation and disrupt global maritime trade. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed the message in Moscow, saying Russia would respond “harshly” to similar incidents in the future, using all available means within international law.
Despite Greece’s intent to foster dialogue on maritime cooperation, the session highlighted growing divisions on how maritime law is interpreted and enforced.
