site.btaEuropean Commission Unveils Strategy to Boost Security in Black Sea in Cooperation with NATO

The European Commission on Wednesday presented a plan to improve security in the Black Sea region, which includes deepening cooperation with Turkiye, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. At a news conference announcing the proposal, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said that cooperation with NATO is part of the envisioned strategy.

The plan outlines measures in the fields of security, economic development, and civil protection. One key initiative is the establishment of a Black Sea Maritime Security Hub focused on protecting maritime infrastructure and shipping. According to Kallas, EU member states must determine the location of the centre and allocate the necessary funding. She added that the centre could also monitor a future ceasefire in Ukraine, once a relevant agreement is reached, in cooperation with NATO.

The plan also includes the development of transport corridors and energy connectivity between the EU and Central Asian countries. New measures will address environmental protection and efforts to mitigate the ecological consequences of the war in Ukraine.

Further development of the trilateral Black Sea demining initiative by Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkiye is also planned, with the EU set to assess options for long-term engagement.

Kallas said that the strategy includes provisions to counter hybrid threats. It also calls for clarification of the ownership of key maritime infrastructure, such as ports, which affects military mobility and security.

The European Commission highlights that the Black Sea is particularly vulnerable to both man-made and natural disasters. It proposes linking the region’s development strategy to the EU accession process for countries seeking to join the Union. The development of the Black Sea region is of strategic importance to both the EU and the wider international community but has been disrupted by Russia’s war in Ukraine. The conflict has driven regional and global security to its lowest level since the Cold War, the Commission said.

The EU’s role and responsibility in the Black Sea region are growing, particularly with the expected launch of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, as well as with Georgia, should it return to the EU integration path. Deepening strategic cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan is also a key objective for the EU, the Commission noted.

The EC emphasized that its strategic approach to the Black Sea is aligned with broader geopolitical initiatives, including strategies for preparedness, internal security, rearmament, and critical infrastructure protection.