Mine clearance efforts to make the Black Sea safer through a joint initiative by Turkiye, Romania and Bulgaria will begin in July. Turkiye’s Ambassador to Bucharest, Özgür Kıvanç Altan, spoke at the “Romania Days” event hosted by Trakya University and provided information about recent developments between Turkiye and Romania. Ambassador Altan said, “In July, Turkish, Romanian and Bulgarian warships will launch a joint operation against the mine threat in the Black Sea.” The naval mines drifted due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, threatening the maritime safety in the Black Sea. Ambassador Altan’s words indicate that the Mine Counter Measures (MCM) in the Black Sea will be implemented. The Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony was held on January 2024 in Istanbul, with the participation of Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, Romanian counterpart Angel Tilvar, and Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov.
Romania, unlike Turkiye, wants the U.S. to have a presence in the Black Sea. On the other hand, Turkiye objects to approaches that would violate the Montreux Convention and turn the Black Sea into an uncontrolled sea. Western countries that want to enter the Black Sea object to Turkiye’s policy. While Western countries argue that entering the Black Sea will benefit Ukraine, Ukraine is considering the next step. If Western countries can enter the Black Sea, Russia can transfer its Baltic Fleet, which it has not been able to enter the Black Sea until now. In this case, Ukraine’s balance in the Black Sea will be disrupted. Russia’s shifting of its Baltic Fleet to the Black Sea will be in the interest of Western powers in the emerging struggle for dominance in the Arctic Region.
