NATO’s Black Sea nations decry Ukraine war spillover endangering commercial ship traffic

IZMIR, Turkey — The Ministers of Defense of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey have condemned attacks against commercial vessels in the Black Sea and call on all parties to refrain from any further actions that could endanger commercial vessels, maritime infrastructure and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, according to the joint statement made after a meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Oct. 28.

The trilateral meeting on security in the Black Sea region was also attended by the Chiefs of Defense of Bulgaria and Turkey, Adm. Emil Eftimov and Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, and the Deputy Chief of Defense of Romania, Lt. Gen. Dragos Dimitru Iakub.

The meeting signals a coordinated approach by the three NATO littoral states to the growing risks to commercial shipping and maritime infrastructure arising from the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Financial Times reported based on data from maritime security company Ambrey and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that since the beginning of the year, more than 570 vessels have been hit in the Black Sea, killing at least 40 seafarers. By comparison, 24 deaths have been recorded in the Strait of Hormuz area for the same period.

The joint declaration highlights the Black Sea’s importance for global trade and the supply of grain fertilizers and recalls that all parties must comply with international law, including the Montreux Convention and applicable international humanitarian law, to ensure security in the Black Sea and preserve regional stability.

Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey also agreed to enhance information and intelligence sharing, improving maritime domain awareness and strengthening early warning to support security and stability in the Black Sea.

Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler stated after the meeting that Turkey will maintain its current implementation of the Montreux Convention.

“I believe that the united and resolute position we have demonstrated here today, in full coordination and solidarity with our friends and allies Bulgaria and Romania, is important in clearly reminding both warring parties that the security of commercial shipping routes in the Black Sea and the safety of littoral countries constitute inviolable red lines,” Güler said.

The Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stated that the three Black Sea countries will continue active cooperation both in a trilateral format and within NATO, in close coordination with the member states and partners of the alliance.

As the ministerial meeting was convening in Sofia, the Bulgarian Navy reported that it has successfully conducted a rescue operation for the crew of the Liberian flag merchant ship Contship Jet after it was hit by an unmanned surface vessel. The ship was 17 miles east of Cape Kaliakra in Bulgaria and bound for the port of Constanta in Romania.

The three countries will continue consultations, with the next round scheduled to take place in Ankara and Bucharest.