the defense ministries of Türkiye, Romania, and Bulgaria have signed a memorandum in Istanbul, formalizing the establishment of a naval group dedicated to mine action in the Black Sea, TuraNews.kz reports.
The initiative for creating the Black Sea Naval Mine Defense Group originated from Türkiye in August 2023. The primary objective of this joint effort is to enhance the safety of sea routes in the Black Sea by addressing the threat of drifting mines, particularly in response to the mine danger escalating after the Russian aggression against Ukraine, as stated by the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense in a previously released statement.
It was underlined that the operations of this group are intended to be peaceful and not targeted against any specific country. The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense stated, “They are expected to help improve interaction and good neighborly relations between participants, without replacing NATO’s presence and ongoing deterrence and defense activities in the Black Sea region.”
The Romanian Ministry of Defense added that the establishment of this structure “will ensure a constant level of vigilance and readiness, and will also help strengthen the deterrence and defensive posture of the allies on the eastern flank.”
