In brief
Bulgarian, Romanian and Turkish defence ministers announced a new coordination mechanism to accelerate responses to maritime security incidents in the Black Sea, citing recent drone attacks on merchant vessels. The proposal will be discussed in triangular talks hosted in Sofia, while Bulgaria considers projects to counter low‑flying threats and MICA missile procurement. The measures aim to improve decision‑making on freedom of navigation and maritime security.
Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, hosted a trilateral security meeting on Wednesday, bringing together defence ministers and chiefs of defence from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey to discuss a new coordination mechanism aimed at accelerating responses to incidents in the Black Sea.
The discussion came after a series of maritime drone attacks on merchant ships operating within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. A container ship was struck by three drones about 21 nautical miles southeast of the Bulgarian coastal town of Shabla, an incident that had been reported earlier that day. The attacks prompted Bulgarian Minister of Defence Dimitar Stoyanov to call for a more rapid joint response from the three Black Sea littoral states.
Stoyanov told reporters before the meeting that the talks had been prompted by attacks on merchant ships in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea a week or two earlier. He said a coordination mechanism between Bulgaria, Romania and Turkiye would be proposed to facilitate a faster response to developments affecting Black Sea security. No memorandum directed at Russia or any other country was being considered at this stage.
The meeting will be held at the Boyana Residence, a historic villa used for diplomatic engagements, and will feature senior military leaders as well as the defence ministers from each country. Bulgarian Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov, Romanian Defence Minister Stefan‑Radu Oprea and Deputy Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Dragos‑Dumitru Iacob, as well as Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of Defence General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, will present their respective views and policy frameworks.
In addition to the coordination mechanism, Bulgaria plans to pursue two substantial defence measures. Stoyanov also said the Council of Ministers would decide on two memoranda, one concerning Bulgaria joining a project to counter low‑flying threats and another on acquiring MICA surface‑to‑air missiles for the country’s patrol ships. These steps aim to bolster coastal defence capabilities and ensure rapid detection and neutralisation of future aerial threats.
Romania and Turkey have expressed strong support for the proposed coordination mechanism. In a joint statement released after the meeting, the defence ministers condemned the drone attacks and underscored their shared responsibility to act together amid a complex regional situation. The statement highlighted that the discussions focused exclusively on measures the three countries could take independently to ensure freedom of navigation.
While the agenda includes the coordination mechanism, both Romania and Turkey emphasised that any joint strategy would remain voluntary and based on the principles of transparency and mutual respect for national sovereignty. Neither side indicated that the mechanism would involve coordinated military actions against external actors such as Russia.
The proposal is expected to be discussed in more detail during the upcoming trilateral talks scheduled in Sofia. The three ministers aim to reach a common position by the end of the meeting, after which they will release a joint statement reflecting the agreed measures. The details of the coordination mechanism, including operational procedures and decision‑making protocols, will be finalized与 the partners’ respective governments.
Security analysts view the initiative as a substantial step toward enhancing maritime safety in the Black Sea and countering emerging threats from unmanned aerial vehicles. By improving rapid decision‑making and shared situational awareness, the mechanism may prevent future incidents similar to the Shabla drone attack, which has raised concerns among shipping companies operating in the region.
