Black Sea states condemn drone attacks on merchant shipping

Trilateral condemnation in Sofia

Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov, Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Romanian Defense Minister Stefan-Radu Oprea gathered in Sofia on Wednesday to denounce unmanned aerial assaults targeting merchant ships in the Black Sea, characterizing the strikes as breaches of international maritime regulations. The trilateral meeting convened the defense ministers alongside their military chiefs to examine regional security challenges and frameworks for enhanced cooperation among littoral states, according to the Bulgarian news agency BTA.

Security coordination

Sofia has labeled attacks on commercial shipping as contraventions of maritime legal frameworks that require a coordinated regional response. Stoyanov earlier pressed for upgraded coordination between the three nations and NATO allies through enhanced monitoring capabilities and intelligence exchange, BTA reported on October 13.

Calls for international cooperation

Bulgarian officials have stressed the necessity of broader international collaboration to counter threats facing commercial vessels navigating the Black Sea, where recent hostilities have highlighted the strategic value of multilateral defense arrangements. The three governments continue pursuing closer defense ties to safeguard shipping corridors critical to regional trade and energy transport.