Key facts
- Von der Leyen said the EU will fast track the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub with €50 million in dedicated funding.
- The EU will add €10 million for Romania's search-and-rescue operations, von der Leyen said in Romania.
- At least nine ships have been struck in Romanian and Bulgarian exclusive economic zones since early October; four sank and 34 sailors are dead or missing.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is reviewing Turkish proposals on safe passage and is open to ideas from India.
- EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Ukraine has agreed to a freedom-of-navigation arrangement but Russia has rejected it.
- Ukraine's agriculture minister said Kyiv is preparing to operate without deep-water Black Sea ports for the long term.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on November 9 that the EU will help finance some Black Sea security costs after attacks on commercial shipping, blamed on Russia, and will fast track work on the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub with dedicated funding of €50 million. She spoke at the start of a visit to Romania and also announced an additional €10 million in EU cash for Romania's search-and-rescue operations.
The sums are small next to the €16.7 billion Romania is getting under the EU's SAFE arms loans program. The hub, announced last year, is a joint control center to be run by Romania and Bulgaria and is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year. It aims to monitor maritime activity in real time and safeguard undersea power and communication cables, giving both countries a unified view of the sea and sky.
Von der Leyen said threats, attacks and incursions are rising off the coasts of the Black Sea. Since early October, at least nine ships have been struck in the exclusive economic zones of NATO and EU members Romania and Bulgaria; four were sunk, and 34 sailors are dead or missing. Other ships have been hit off Russia's shores. Romania and Bulgaria raised the issue at last month's meeting of EU leaders and are pressing for more security support; Romania has blamed Russia, while Bulgaria has stopped short.