Benjamin L. Schmitt

Benjamin L. Schmitt is an American researcher and expert in energy policy and national security, currently affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. He has previously worked at Harvard and the U.S. State Department, focusing on the Nordic and Baltic regions. Schmitt has gained attention for his research on critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, especially following incidents like the Nord Stream pipeline explosion and the severing of a fiber optic cable connecting Svalbard to mainland Norway. His work involves analyzing data related to maritime activities and investigating potential sabotage threats posed by hostile actors, particularly in the context of hybrid warfare. Schmitt advocates for invoking NATO's Article 4 to address security concerns in the region.