The European Union (EU) has just announced a comprehensive security strategy for the Black Sea region, which has an important strategic position, to deal with threats in the region.
Announced on May 28, the EU's Black Sea strategy includes the establishment of a "Black Sea Maritime Security Center", which acts as an early warning center for Europe in the region.
According to the strategic document, the Black Sea Maritime Security Center will provide "cension awareness and share information about the Black Sea, monitor from space to the seabed in real time and provide early warnings about potential threats as well as toxic behaviors".
The Black Sea Maritime Security Center is expected to monitor important maritime infrastructure, including undersea cables, offshore facilities as well as gas and wind energy activities outside the EU's waters in the Black Sea.
Mixed warfare, including targeted sabotage of offshore infrastructure, has become a top concern for many Western leaders in recent years, following a series of suspicious incidents in the Baltic Sea, including the Nord Stream explosion and the Balticconnector gas pipeline failure.
Some other priorities set out in the strategy include clearing torpedoes, protecting commercial transport routes, and dealing with Russia's "shadow fleet". The shadow fleets are used oil tankers operating in a closed, used manner that the West accuses Russia of using to avoid sanctions.
At a press conference to announce the new strategy, EU senior diplomat Kaja Kallas noted that the Black Sea Maritime Security Center could also be used to monitor any future ceasefire or peace dealings between Russia and Ukraine.
Details on the location of the center as well as the implementation method of the proposal are still being finalized. The document said that specific needs and current operating plans will be determined before the end of the summer.
The initiative to establish the Black Sea Maritime Security Center will not have its own budget but will rely on existing EU programs, including the 150 billion euro SAFE initiative for defense spending.
This breakthrough plan, aimed at mobilizing low-interest loans to sharply increase the European defense budget, was officially approved by EU member states a day before the Black Sea strategy was announced.
In addition to the Black Sea Maritime Security Center, the strategy also commits to significantly upgrading regional infrastructure with a focus on military mobility. The sketch mentions major projects related to ports, roads, railways and airports around the Black Sea to ensure the rapid deployment of military equipment.
At the same time, the EU will also strengthen relations with non-EU partners such as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, including promoting regional cooperation on connectivity, according to the European Commissions website on the project.
The security sector is a prominent pillar in the EU's new Black Sea strategy, in addition to the goals of promoting economic growth and ensuring environmental protection.
