Drones have left a trail of destruction across the Black Sea, sinking commercial ships, setting vessels ablaze and killing civilians — exposing the challenge Europe faces in protecting one of its most vulnerable maritime regions.
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Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev described a drone attack on Tuesday, some 130km off the country’s coast, as “absolutely unacceptable”. One merchant ship sank and another was damaged. Radev did not attribute blame, with an investigation still underway.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu described a deadly incident off the country’s coast a day earlier as “a flagrant violation of international law”.
On Monday, a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying Ukrainian grain caught fire and subsequently sank off Romania. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the vessel had been attacked by Russian drones. Two people onboard were killed.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned both incidents.
“The situation in the Black Sea is increasingly concerning,” she said. “Attacks on civilian shipping are unacceptable.”
The incidents have renewed scrutiny of Europe’s ability to protect shipping and critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, more than a year after the EU launched a strategy to strengthen security in the region.
When the Black Sea Security Strategy was unveiled in May 2025, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that the region was bearing the spillover effects of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“The Black Sea region is the prime target for hybrid actions. The European Union aims to boost cooperation to combat cyberattacks, disinformation, and other hostile actions,” she said.
“Recurring airspace violations and attacks on ports and shipping lanes highlight this reality.”
The policy was aimed at ensuring the security of this maritime corridor, as well as protecting critical infrastructure and assets, such as offshore installations and subsea cables.
It also promised the development of a Black Sea Maritime Security Hub aimed at coordinating support and boosting coast-guard cooperation, among other activities. The hub would also analyse seabed sensor data and alert allies to potential dangers and incoming threats.
Asked to assess the effectiveness of the policy in light of this week’s recent incursions, European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand said 65 projects worth €200 million had been initiated in the region because of the policy.
“To add in that context, the European Maritime Safety Agency has offered its support to the Romanian and Bulgarian authorities, in line with its role in providing European-level maritime safety and situational awareness support,” he said.
“Romania and Bulgaria requested satellite imagery to enhance situational awareness following the attacks, and we are currently delivering the shots.”
On the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, Wigand said it is a project led by Romania and Bulgaria that aims to “help enhance maritime situational awareness and reflection of critical infrastructure”.
A European Commission report on the implementation of the EU’s Black Sea Strategy from July confirmed that the two countries had jointly developed a concept for the hub, which aims, among other initiatives, to counter complex hybrid threats.
In the wake of Bulgaria’s incursion, Romania’s foreign minister said on Tuesday the hub will be located in both of the countries’ main ports, Constanța and Varna, respectively.
But a leaked copy of the EU’s landmark Annual Defence Readiness report shows major shortfalls across Europe’s defence capabilities, particularly when it comes to maritime warfare.
The document, prepared by the European Defence Agency with contributions from the Commission and the EU’s foreign policy unit, the European External Action Service, assesses whether the 27 member states are on track to achieve defence readiness by 2030.
Although EU governments plan to invest approximately €98.9 billion from 2024-2029 in maritime capabilities, current deficiencies affect a range of naval operations.
“Critical gaps also remain in naval munitions and missile stockpiles, naval Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD), long-range strike capabilities, and the protection of seabed infrastructure,” the report states.
To fix the problem, the report recommends three courses of action: developing maritime domain awareness, balancing investment in large combat platforms with naval strike capabilities, and investing in supporting enablers such as seabed protection.
Mihai Sebastian Chihaia, a maritime security expert at the European Policy Centre, said the Black Sea had received too little attention in Europe’s wider defence debate and argued that strategies alone were insufficient.
“We have quite a few strategies, we have quite a few directions, but to really secure the Black Sea, you actually need capabilities,” he told Euronews. These capabilities include intelligence-gathering operations, such as sensors and radars, for example.
Chihaia argued that NATO — the cornerstone of European collective defence — could also develop a dedicated Black Sea strategy.
In light of the drone incidents from earlier this week, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey have stressed they are coordinating efforts to strengthen security in the region.
But Chihaia said what remained missing was a broader vision for the Black Sea’s future security architecture. Despite years of discussion, NATO has yet to produce one. “This hasn’t happened,” he said.
Chihaia said the Commission’s role is to provide directions and ideas for the member states. This may include funding options, such as the Security Action For Europe (SAFE) defence loan programme.
“It’s really to incentivise the member states to work together, to develop new technological solutions, and to integrate them,” he said.
Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said Bulgaria and Romania “play a crucial role to defend our eastern flank”, adding that the two countries are receiving a combined €20 billion under SAFE.
