NATO Expands its Engagement on Critical Undersea Infrastructure in the Mediterranean

NATO’s Critical Undersea Infrastructure (CUI)-Network met on 20-21 November 2025 in Rome, Italy, to further integrate perspectives across civilian and military actors for enhancing the security of critical undersea infrastructure. Experts from NATO HQ and Allied countries were joined by industry stakeholders, European Union representatives and, for the first time, NATO partner nations.

With a rise in hybrid threats across Europe, the discussions focused on best practices for securing critical undersea infrastructure in the Mediterranean region and beyond. Deploying sensing and surveillance technologies, including drones, to enhance security around this expanding and increasingly vital infrastructure was a key theme of the meeting. Participants also visited the Italian Navy Critical Undersea Infrastructure Surveillance Center to see how civilian and military stakeholders work together to monitor and respond rapidly to suspicious activities near critical undersea infrastructure.

“A 360-degree approach to security is vital for the Alliance. The Mediterranean region could not be more critical,” said Ambassador Jean-Charles Ellermann-Kingombe, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Cyber and Digital Transformation and Special Coordinator for Hybrid Threats.  Noting that threats and challenges are interconnected, he added, “We are here to deepen our exchanges, and to widen the scope of our cooperation across civilian, military, public and private sectors.”

NATO’S CUI-Network was established in February 2024, with the aim of leveraging NATO as a platform to improve information sharing and coordination. Following disruptions to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea in December 2024, NATO launched “Baltic Sentry”, a multi-domain activity aimed to bolster NATO’s military presence and improve Allies’ ability to respond to destabilising acts.