In brief
Defence leaders from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey condemned recent drone attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea during a trilateral meeting in Sofia. The ministers proposed a coordination mechanism and agreed on security measures, including counter‑low‑flying threat projects and new missile systems for patrol ships.
On Wednesday, 28 October 2026, defence ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey met at Sofia’s Boyana Residence to condemn drone attacks on Black Sea merchant vessels and lay groundwork for a trilateral coordination mechanism.
The delegation in Sofia was led by Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov, Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov; Romanian Defence Minister Stefan‑Radu Oprea, Deputy Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Dragos‑Dumitru Iacob; and Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler, Chief of Defence General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu.
Stoyanov said the talks had been prompted by attacks on merchant ships in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone a week or two earlier, and that a coordination mechanism would enable the three countries to respond faster to developments affecting Black Sea security. He added that the discussions focused on measures the states could take independently to safeguard freedom of navigation, and that no memorandum directed at Russia or any other country was being considered.
After the meeting, Stoyanov told a press conference that Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey unequivocally condemned drone attacks on commercial vessels. He thanked his Romanian and Turkish counterparts for accepting the invitation and described their participation as a clear sign of mutual responsibility amid a complex regional situation.
Reports earlier in the day had noted a container ship struck by three maritime drones about 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla, a Bulgarian coastal town. The incident was described as the latest in a series of drone attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea, reinforcing the urgency of the trilateral talks.
Stoyanov also said the Council of Ministers was expected to decide on two memoranda that day: one concerning Bulgaria’s participation in a project to counter low‑flying threats, and another on the acquisition of MICA surface‑to‑air missiles for Bulgaria’s patrol ships. The measures would be made public only after agreement had been reached with the Romanian and Turkish sides.
The three states signaled further cooperation on security initiatives and a shared aim to protect commercial navigation in the region, underscoring the need for coordinated action in the face of emerging threats.
