Secure Black Sea: strategic security vision and elaborating common solutions
March 23, 2026, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Organisers: MFA of Ukraine, Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, MFA of the Republic of Moldova, Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Moldova

The purpose of the Black Sea Security Conference is to discuss the latest security developments in the Black Sea region, to assess the consequences of Russia’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine and to formulate practical recommendations on strengthening regional security and resilience.

The opening speeches were given by:

– Mihai Popșoi, Deputy Prime minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova
– Andrii Sybiha, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (online)
– Anatolie Nosatîi, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Moldova
– Lazăr Comănescu, Ambassador, Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Video-Messages
– Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
– Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement

Dr. Natalia Stercul, Executive Director of the Foreign Policy Association of Moldova participated in the conference as a moderator of the First Panel of discussion: ”Reviewing the recent developments in the Black Sea security environment. Evaluating the functioning of the Black Sea corridor to Ukrainian ports as a vital economic lifeline”, that covered the following key security threats and issues:

  • new military, hybrid and economic threats in the Black Sea and how should regional actors adapt to them;
  • recent developments in the Black Sea, that affect NATO’s deterrence posture and regional stability; 
  • how the war against Ukraine reshaped the long-term security architecture of the Black Sea region;
  • the liberation of the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea as a key element in restoring international order and peace.

Panel Discussion 2: “Addressing risks related to the maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, particularly those caused by Russian aggression, and seeking practical responses, enhancing security cooperation among Black Sea littoral states”. The attention was focused to the:

  • effectiveness of the Black Sea corridor in sustaining Ukraine’s exports and global food security under ongoing security risks;
  • support the sustainability and predictability of the corridor from the part of international partners;
  • key lessons for the future crisis-response mechanisms for maritime trade.
Panel Discussion 3: “The strategic importance of Black Sea security as the foundation of European maritime strategy and an element of European security architecture: regional cooperation and collaboration”. The main questions for discussions were:

  • What concrete steps can Black Sea states take to strengthen regional resilience against military, economic and hybrid threats?
  • How can regional cooperation mechanisms be made more flexible and action-oriented in times of crisis?
  • What role do infrastructure protection, energy security, and economic connectivity play in long-term resilience?
  • Consolidation of regional and partnership efforts for the security of the Black Sea region: the strategic importance of the stable functioning of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits.
Panel Discussion 4: “Ensuring maritime security through regional cooperation and capacity-building within existing security frameworks including through exchange of experience and best practices”.
  • Sharing Ukraine’s experience of implicating advanced technological devices in the modern warfare”, covered the following questions: how can Ukraine’s experience with maritime drones be scaled into a regional capability building framework for Black Sea state;
  • Tendencies of the development of application of the sea drones. How can naval drones be integrated into broader maritime domain awareness and deterrence strategies?
The event was gather representatives of the International Crimea Platforms member states, Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs, NATO and EU representatives, regional organisations, NGOs.
The event can be watched: https://www.youtube.com/live/7_UYYfCaaj0

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