In brief
Sofia, 28 October 2026, Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said a Black Sea coordination mechanism between Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey would be proposed to speed up responses to security incidents. The ministers condemned recent drone attacks on merchant ships and agreed to discuss independent measures, while the Bulgarian Council of Ministers will decide on two memoranda concerning low‑flying threat projects and MICA missiles. The mechanism aims to improve decision making for freedom of navigation and maritime security, though its operational details remain to be clarified.
Sofia, 28 October 2026 – Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced that a coordination mechanism between Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey would be proposed to accelerate responses to developments affecting Black Sea security.
The initiative, to be discussed in triangular talks hosted in Sofia, seeks to improve decision‑making on freedom of navigation and maritime security by enabling the three allies to act more swiftly when incidents occur.
According to Stoyanov, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers would decide on two memoranda that day: one on the country's participation in a project to counter low‑flying threats and another on acquiring MICA surface‑to‑air missiles for its patrol ships.
Delegations in the meeting included Bulgarian Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov, Romanian Defence Minister Stefan‑Radu Oprea, Romanian Deputy Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Dragos‑Dumitru Iacob, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Turkish Chief of Defence General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu.
Coordination mechanism details
In an earlier meeting on the same day, Stoyanov told reporters that the talks were prompted by recent drone attacks on merchant ships in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, and that a mechanism would "facilitate a faster response" to such incidents.
Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said:
'Bulgaria, Romania and Turkiye unequivocally condemned drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea.'
Earlier on 26 February 2027, BTA reported that the defence ministers also agreed to a coordination mechanism, noting that they would focus exclusively on measures the three countries could take independently to ensure freedom of navigation and would not consider a memorandum directed at Russia or any other country at that stage.
Stoyanov clarified that the measures would be made public only after the parties had reached an agreement, while emphasizing that no action would be taken against Russia during the trilateral talks.
The committee’s discussions were carried out after a container ship was struck by three maritime drones about 21 nautical miles southeast of the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal town of Shabla – the latest in a series of drone attacks on merchant vessels in the region.
Background and regional context
The meeting took place in Sofia’s Boyana Residence, a venue that has hosted prior diplomatic sessions concerning the Black Sea region.
Earlier, the three defence ministers had met to condemn drone attacks on merchant ships that had struck at least one container ship in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone and other vessels in the area.
The incident involved three maritime drones striking a container ship about 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla, demonstrating the ongoing threat to commercial navigation.
The ministers emphasized that the coordination mechanism would focus on measures each country can take independently rather than a joint response toward any external actor.
Questions remain about the operational details of the mechanism, such as how quickly it can be activated, how information will be shared, and whether the pact will be signed within the same meeting.
Observers note that the mechanism could signal a commitment to collective security, but its scope and intensity remain uncertain, especially regarding how it incorporates existing NATO maritime frameworks.
The trilateral talks conclude with a shared pledge to pursue faster, joint responses to future incidents, yet the exact framework will only be finalized after subsequent deliberations outside the public domain.
