The Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye Held a Trilateral Meeting on the Margins of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels, Focused on Black Sea Security and Support for Ukraine
04 December 2025 News
The Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye – Georg Georgiev, Oana Toiu and Hakan Fidan – held a trilateral meeting dedicated to security in the Black Sea region and support for Ukraine. The three chief diplomats met on the margins of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on 3 December this year in Brussels.
The parties emphasised that the Black Sea is a key frontline for the security of Europe and the transatlantic community, and that Russia’s war against Ukraine requires enhanced coordination and active engagement by the Alliance. The Ministers highlighted the importance of the mission of the Joint Mine Countermeasures Group in the Black Sea (MCM Black Sea) and discussed possibilities for expanding its mandate to include activities aimed at protecting critical underwater infrastructure.
During the meeting, Minister Georg Georgiev stressed the need for a more substantial NATO presence in the Black Sea in order to ensure deterrence, situational awareness and counteraction against hybrid threats emanating from Russia. Bulgaria’s chief diplomat highlighted the necessity of a more adaptive application of existing international legal norms and of ensuring the movement of Allied naval forces whenever conditions allow.
In addition, the Bulgarian side expressed concern over the activities of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea, which violates sanctions, finances the aggression against Ukraine, and creates military and environmental risks in the region.
The parties agreed that investments in Black Sea security are investments in the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic area, which necessitates close cooperation between NATO and the EU.
It was also reaffirmed that any peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine must guarantee the country’s security interests, as well as those of the NATO Allies, and must be based on international law and the principles of the UN Charter.