New Balkan Transport Corridors and Continued Support for Ukraine

Bulgaria, Greece and Romania have signed an action plan for 25 key transport projects worth nearly €23 billion, as the war in Ukraine continues to reshape European infrastructure priorities. The plan, agreed at the end of September, aims to create a dual-use transport network along the Baltic Sea–Black Sea–Aegean Sea and Rhine–Danube corridors, serving both civilian and military needs.

According to Bulgaria's Transport Minister Georgi Peev, the initiative differs from previous memorandums because it includes a joint expert-level plan to turn political intentions into real investment projects, including railways, motorways and bridges. For Bulgaria, the strategic goal is to become an essential link between the Aegean Sea, the Danube and the Black Sea, rather than just a transit territory.

The list of priority projects is dominated by the third Danube bridge between Ruse and Giurgiu, a combined road and rail crossing estimated at €1.57 billion. So far, only €6.9 million has been secured from the EU for a pre-project study, and the construction itself still needs about €1.5 billion in funding. Another key project is the modernisation of the existing Ruse–Giurgiu railway, including electrification of the bridge, with Romania planning to start works in April 2027. Meanwhile, the FAST Danube 2 project, which aims to ensure year-round navigation on the shared Danube section, has secured €230 million and is expected to be completed by 2028.

Away from the Balkans, the European Commission has transferred €4.36 billion to Ukraine, of which €3.7 billion will support the state budget and €658 million will go towards drones and other military needs. The funds are intended to help Ukraine mobilise domestic revenues and improve resilience, according to the Commission.

In Washington, influential representatives from Russia and Ukraine have called on US First Lady Melania Trump to remain engaged with the war, following a White House ceremony marking the success of a humanitarian operation in a besieged city.