NATO member states will convene for a crisis meeting to discuss a series of recent attacks on ships in the Black Sea, reports Politico.Several attacks on tankers have occurred in or near Romanian territorial waters over the past few days; however, Nicușor Dan noted that it is too early to definitively state that Russia is behind them. The Romanian President made these remarks during a meeting of the Council of the European Union in Brussels, where he also discussed the attacks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.Dan later told Politico that Rutte expressed solidarity, and that a meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) would be held to address the situation in the Black Sea. He added that it is clear these hybrid attacks are an attempt to diminish support for Ukraine—support which, he emphasized, will continue.Dan indicated that there is currently no discussion regarding the invocation of NATO’s Article 5 in response to the attacks. Furthermore, Romania has not requested the invocation of Article 4. This stipulates that if the security of any member state is threatened, consultations regarding military matters shall take place.On the 15th of October, rescue teams were still searching for seven missing crew members after two tankers were struck by drones in or near Romanian territorial waters, sparking fires on board. Over the past ten days, drones have struck at least five merchant vessels near Romania and Bulgaria—both of which are NATO member states—resulting in the deaths of at least 23 sailors. Dan stated that investigative teams from the Romanian military and intelligence services are working to determine what led to the attacks on the vessels.Romania has requested that NATO provide equipment, including specialized radar systems, and has urged that deliveries be expedited—a call made previously after a Russian drone crashed into a residential building near the Ukrainian border in May. Dan indicated that Romania would once again seek assistance from its allies. He noted that the operational situation is similar to that which occurred near the Danube in May. At that time, the United States, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Slovakia provided additional equipment to Romania. The current situation is reportedly the same, only occurring along a different border—this time in the Black Sea. Following his meeting with Dan and Radev, the NATO Secretary General stated that the alliance has already expanded its defenses against drones on the eastern flank. He wrote on X that NATO will continue to work closely with allies in the Black Sea region and will adjust its defenses wherever necessary.
NATO to discuss attacks on ships in the Black Sea
