Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey are stepping up security in the Black Sea — Reuters
Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey have agreed to expand the mandate of their joint Black Sea mine safety task force. Going forward, its responsibilities will include not only the search for and disposal of mines, but also the protection of critical infrastructure.
The agreement was reached during the NATO summit. The countries intend to strengthen coordination of their actions to enhance security in the Black Sea against the backdrop of growing threats in the region.
In 2024, the three NATO member countries with access to the Black Sea established a joint task force to counter the threat of sea mines, which had risen sharply following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, the group has cleared more than 150 mines from key maritime trade routes, with Turkey neutralizing the majority of them.
At a summit in Ankara, the countries agreed to expand the mission to include the protection of critical infrastructure, particularly energy facilities, telecommunications networks, and undersea pipelines.
All three countries are carrying out projects related to natural gas exploration or production in the Black Sea. In particular, Romania’s Neptun Deep offshore gas project is scheduled to come online in 2027, which will make the country the largest gas producer in the European Union.
“Protecting critical infrastructure in the Black Sea requires a comprehensive, integrated, and long-term approach,” according to a statement from the Romanian Ministry of Defense.
Reuters reported this, citing the Romanian Ministry of Defense.
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