Türkiye, Bulgaria and Romania agree faster coordination on Black Sea security
Defence ministers meeting in Sofia proposed a faster coordination mechanism for Black Sea security, as Türkiye warned against escalating drone attacks on shipping.
Update ·
Türkiye says its enforcement of the Montreux Convention has helped stop the war spreading across the Black Sea.
Defence ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye met in Sofia on 28 October to discuss security in the Black Sea, Bulgaria's defence minister Dimitar Stoyanov told journalists ahead of the talks, Bulgarian National Radio reported. Stoyanov said the three countries would propose a coordination mechanism to allow a faster response to security incidents in the region.
Turkish defence minister Yaşar Güler told a joint news conference after the meeting that Ankara's strict enforcement of the Montreux Convention, which governs naval access to the Black Sea, had kept Russia's war against Ukraine from spilling into the wider region and limited the damage to Black Sea shipping, Daily Sabah reported.
Güler said another commercial vessel had been struck by three drones in Bulgarian waters that day, and called on both Russia and Ukraine to show restraint over attacks on civilian shipping, noting that many commercial vessels had been targeted during the nearly five-year war. He said Türkiye was keeping up diplomatic contacts with Moscow and Kyiv to protect shipping routes and freedom of navigation.
The three countries also work together through the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group, known as MCM Black Sea, which searches for and clears drifting mines left over from the war, Daily Sabah reported. Güler said the allies' united stance showed that the security of shipping lanes and coastal states must not be compromised.
Stoyanov separately said Bulgaria's Council of Ministers was expected to decide the same day on two memorandums: one on joining a project to counter low-altitude threats, including drones, and another on acquiring MICA surface-to-air missiles for Bulgarian patrol vessels, Bulgarian National Radio reported.
Stoyanov also said the cargo ship Khoryv, which capsized after what he described as a military attack, was drifting towards Bulgarian territorial waters. He said the Bulgarian navy and transport ministry were monitoring the vessel and had issued a navigational warning to other ships in the area.
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What we know
- Defence ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye met in Sofia on 28 October and proposed a faster coordination mechanism for Black Sea security.
- Turkish defence minister Yaşar Güler said Ankara's enforcement of the Montreux Convention has helped keep the war from spreading across the Black Sea.
- Güler said a commercial vessel was struck by three drones in Bulgarian waters the same day and urged Russia and Ukraine to show restraint.
- The three countries cooperate through the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group to clear drifting mines.
- The capsized cargo ship Khoryv is drifting towards Bulgarian waters after a military attack, Bulgaria's navy says.
- Bulgaria is weighing a memorandum on countering drone threats and one on buying MICA missiles for patrol vessels.
Why it matters for Europe
The talks follow a series of drone and missile attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which have raised concerns about the safety of freight and undersea infrastructure for NATO members Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye. Türkiye's control of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles under the Montreux Convention gives it a central role in limiting how far the naval war can spread beyond Ukraine's and Russia's own coastlines.
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Türkiye says its enforcement of the Montreux Convention has helped stop the war spreading across the Black Sea.
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Questions and answers
- Why did Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye meet in Sofia?
- Their defence ministers discussed strengthening cooperation on Black Sea security, including a faster coordination mechanism, Bulgaria's defence minister said.
- What did Türkiye say about the Montreux Convention?
- Defence minister Yaşar Güler said Türkiye's strict enforcement of the convention had helped stop the war spreading across the wider Black Sea region.
- What is happening to the cargo ship Khoryv?
- It capsized after a military attack and is drifting towards Bulgarian territorial waters, with the navy monitoring the vessel and a navigational warning issued.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.