EU offers cash for Black Sea attack response
Washington is pursuing a diplomatic effort on safe passage, weighing proposals from Turkey and India.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the EU will provide financial assistance to address security threats off the coasts of the Black Sea. Following a series of attacks on commercial ships, primarily blamed on Russia, von der Leyen stated that the bloc will expedite the development of the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, which will be fully operational by the end of the year.
This hub, to be co-run by Romania and Bulgaria, will serve as a joint control center for monitoring maritime activity in real time, with the aim of safeguarding critical infrastructure like undersea power and communication cables. The new initiative includes a €50 million investment for the hub's completion and €10 million for Romania's search-and-rescue operations.
The announcement comes as at least nine ships have been targeted in the exclusive economic zones of NATO and EU members Romania and Bulgaria, resulting in the sinking of four vessels and the death or disappearance of 34 sailors. The EU's decision to aid Romania and Bulgaria highlights the escalating violence in the region and their demand for enhanced security measures.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is facilitating discussions on a Black Sea ceasefire and a deal on safe passage, with the goal of alleviating the impact on food security for vulnerable nations.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
