Romania Black Sea security and diplomacy

At the UN General Assembly, Romania sought to establish itself as a ‘pillar of resilience’ by focusing on regional connectivity and Black Sea security. Interim Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu engaged in bilateral meetings to promote sustainable development and addressed the protection of commercial flows and the cessation of attacks in the Black Sea.

Following these diplomatic efforts, domestic calls emerged for a redesign of Romania’s maritime security strategy. Former Defense Minister Mihai Fifor argued that the war in Ukraine has turned the Black Sea into a zone of geopolitical confrontation, rendering existing security mechanisms insufficient. He highlighted emerging threats such as aerial and maritime drones, drifting mines, and potential sabotage of submarine infrastructure, noting a gap between Romania’s recognized sovereign rights and its actual capacity to defend them against hybrid warfare.

In response to a series of incidents involving commercial vessels in the western Black Sea throughout October, President Nicușor Dan convened an extraordinary meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defense. The council focused on protecting territorial waters and strategic maritime infrastructure. Consequently, Romania has requested additional military support from allies, specifically seeking resources to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), expanded intelligence capabilities, and an increased NATO presence.

In support of these efforts, NATO announced the deployment of additional resources for surveillance and expertise in the Black Sea, alongside strengthening the eastern flank with anti-drone capabilities. Furthermore, the European Parliament passed a resolution urging EU member states to consider naval operations to protect shipping and to assist Romania and Bulgaria in tracking hostile drones.