Italy champions Corridor 8 as vital transport and NATO security artery

Italy is promoting Corridor 8, a transport route linking the ports of Brindisi and Bar with Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and the Black Sea, as a strategic asset for European economic integration and NATO defence. The corridor is portrayed as more than a road and rail project, aiming to shorten supply chains, boost regional connectivity and enable rapid deployment of military forces following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Albania’s Durrës port is highlighted as the key node of the corridor, with a €121 million upgrade funded by the EU and the European Investment Bank. A joint declaration signed on 18 February 2026 by the foreign ministers of Italy, Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Romania formalised the corridor’s status as a strategic security and energy backbone for the western Balkans.

Italian officials argue that the corridor will enhance energy, logistics and industrial security for Italy and the wider EU, while also strengthening the southeastern flank of NATO.