Romanian PM discusses Black Sea security with NATO chief

Romanian prime minister Luca Niculescu held a phone call with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte to discuss the worsening security situation in the Black Sea region. The two also addressed the growing hybrid threats facing allied states on NATO’s eastern flank.

“Russia’s escalation of tensions in our region requires increased vigilance from the Alliance and a firm and coordinated allied response,” Niculescu wrote on Facebook.

The prime minister reaffirmed Romania’s commitment to strengthening its defense capabilities and resilience. He said Bucharest would meet the pledge made at the NATO summit in The Hague to increase defense spending.

Moreover, Luca Niculescu also thanked Mark Rutte and NATO allies for their continued focus on Black Sea security, including recent consultations and additional measures announced to improve surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the region.

“We also discussed the importance of continuing to support Ukraine in defending its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.

NATO announced on October 20 that it would send “additional resources” to the Black Sea following Russian drone attacks on commercial vessels in the territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria. The decision followed discussions by the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s main decision-making body.

Two days later, the European Parliament and Romania’s Supreme Council for National Defense called for stronger measures in response to attacks on civilian vessels and repeated airspace violations.

The European Parliament described the incidents as part of a “clear pattern of Russian escalation” involving the systematic targeting of civilian shipping. MEPs also called on the EU and its member states to consider deploying a naval operation in the Black Sea.

France has since deployed an Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft to the 57th Air Base at Mihail Kogălniceanu, at Romania’s request, for surveillance and reconnaissance missions over the western Black Sea.

Earlier in October, Romanian F-16 fighters