Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum
"The Black Sea and Western Balkans region is of strategic interest to Romania and NATO," President Nicuşor Dan said in Bucharest
Roxana Vasile, 13.05.2026, 13:50
The Black Sea and Western Balkans region is of strategic interest to Romania, as well as to NATO, President Nicuşor Dan said Tuesday in Bucharest, noting that the stronger Europe becomes, the stronger the North Atlantic Alliance becomes. He participated in the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum, organized by the New Strategy Center, which brought together officials, diplomats, military personnel, experts, and representatives of companies from European Union and NATO member states, as well as from partner countries.
The head of state noted that, during this period of multiple challenges, countries with similar approaches to security and defense must work together. Nicuşor Dan:
ʺWe are facing a period of multiple challenges. Like-minded countries must collaborate; that is the goal of the B9 discussions, that is the goal of the discussions in Ankara at the NATO summit in two months, and I am optimistic that, in each of these forums, we will express solidarity and succeed in achieving the goals we have set for ourselves. This means investments in defence, interoperability, and an effective transatlantic partnership.ʺ
Also at the forum on security in the Black Sea and Balkan regions, Acting Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu noted that Romania is among the Eastern Flank countries that have recorded the highest number of airspace violations, particularly due to incidents involving Russian drones flying over Ukraine. Therefore, she said, Bucharest needs to focus its security investments on the most vulnerable areas: the Danube and the Black Sea. In fact, the Black Sea security hub project proposed by Romania must be, in Oana Țoiu’s view, a priority in the European Union’s next budget allocation.
On the other hand, during the panel discussion titled “Challenges and Opportunities in Ukraine’s Reconstruction: Romania’s Role in This Strategic Project,” the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mihai Jurca, stated that the Romanian government has established an action plan to support the reconstruction of its neighbouring country, which is expected to be finalized by the end of this month. Equally, Bucharest must ensure that Romanian and international companies, as well as the institutions involved, have access to the appropriate infrastructure to contribute to Ukraine’s recovery, the Prime Minister’s representative added.
In short, Romania can and must become the main logistics hub for Ukraine’s reconstruction, as stated by Ionel Scrioşteanu, State Secretary at the Ministry of Transport, given its ideal geographical location for this purpose. He noted that Bucharest began investing in transportation infrastructure from the very first days of the war in Ukraine in 2022, focusing on ports, the railway system, customs checkpoints, and road infrastructure. At the same time, authorities are holding talks with the local administrations to develop logistics and industrial zones near the new infrastructure investments. (MI)
