Deadly attacks on merchant vessels prompt calls for action, as MEPs accuse Russia of pursuing a clear pattern of escalation.
The European Parliament is urging the European Union to consider launching a naval operation in the Black Sea, following the latest deadly attacks on merchant vessels.
In an adopted resolution, MEPs stress that freedom of navigation and maritime security are essential to safeguarding NATO’s eastern flank, the Black Sea region and the Danube Delta.
Parliament holds Russia responsible for attacks on commercial shipping and for escalating its war against Ukraine in the western Black Sea. It condemns the latest deadly strikes off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania, along with repeated violations of Romanian airspace.
MEPs assess that these attacks point to a clear Russian plan to escalate the conflict, heightening concerns over regional security.
Parliament also welcomes the stance taken by Romania and Bulgaria, while expressing concern over what it describes as the Bulgarian government’s ambiguous handling of the Russian threat.
The resolution calls for a possible naval operation to be considered; it does not constitute a decision to deploy naval forces.
