Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey to Step Up Black Sea Maritime Security After Drone Strikes

Jerusalem, 13 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Sofia (BTA) – Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov held telephone conversations today with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense of Romania Radu Miruca and with the Minister of National Defense of Turkey Yaşar Güler, the Defense Ministry said.

The main topic of both conversations was the security environment in the Black Sea region in light of the incidents that night, in which two merchant ships were hit. Stoyanov stated that the Bulgarian government condemns the attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea as a gross violation of international maritime law.

“The situation in the Black Sea is becoming increasingly complex and requires us as allies to take enhanced coordinated action. Ensuring security and freedom of navigation in the region is of common interest and our common responsibility. Only through effective information exchange, enhanced surveillance and close coordination can we respond to the growing risks and protect security in the Black Sea,” Stoyanov stressed. He called on his counterparts to take joint action to enhance surveillance and intelligence sharing between the three countries and NATO structures.

The three ministers expressed their readiness to deepen cooperation and take coordinated actions to protect the security of shipping in the Black Sea region.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced this morning new drone attacks on ships in the Black Sea, describing them as absolutely unacceptable. Three aerial drones hit a ship 18 miles east of Byala, and another was hit 17 miles east of Krapets, sinking it.

In telephone conversations with European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Prime Minister Rumen Radev called for joint efforts to stop attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea, the Council of Ministers announced.