Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey Urge End to Black Sea Ship Attacks

Defence ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey met in Sofia on Wednesday and issued a joint call for an immediate stop to attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea. The meeting took place as a third drone strike in less than a month hit a cargo vessel in Bulgaria's economic zone, according to reports by Dnevnik.

Bulgaria's defence minister hosted his Romanian and Turkish counterparts to discuss the escalating security situation in the region. In their appeal, the three officials urged all sides to refrain from targeting merchant ships and to respect international rules governing navigation in the Black Sea.

The latest attack, reported on 28 October, follows two earlier incidents. On 6 October, unmanned aerial vehicles struck the commercial vessels ABLE and ALFA WATAN roughly 70 nautical miles from the Bulgarian coast near Byala. A second drone strike on a merchant ship was recorded on 13 October. Both attacks occurred in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, an area where Sofia has jurisdiction over economic activities but not full territorial sovereignty. The third strike happened while the ministers were in session, highlighting the pressing nature of their talks.

During the meeting, the ministers also reviewed options for closer cooperation between their naval and coast guard forces. Ideas put forward included better information sharing, coordinated patrols and joint exercises in the western Black Sea to deter further attacks, local media reported. No official details were immediately available on damage or casualties from the third strike.

The repeated drone attacks have underscored the security challenges facing commercial shipping in the Black Sea, a key route for grain and other exports from the region. Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey—all coastal states with significant maritime interests—share a common goal of keeping these waters safe and open for trade.