World · Europe · 10 hrs ago
EU pledges €50 million to speed up Black Sea security hub
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged €50 million to help speed up a maritime security hub in the Black Sea.
Bulgaria and Romania are setting up the hub to share information and strengthen security, with Türkiye also involved in closer maritime cooperation.
The plan comes after at least nine cargo ships were hit by naval drones near Bulgaria and Romania last month, killing several seafarers and leaving others missing.
The attacks have raised concern about the Russia-Ukraine war reaching a waterway that is important for trade, energy and food supplies.
Romania has accused Russia of systematic strikes on civilian ships, while Bulgaria has not blamed Russia and Moscow denies involvement.
The EU wants clear timelines to complete the hub, and NATO has said it will deploy patrol aircraft, radars and drones to strengthen its eastern flank.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged €50 million to speed up the launch of a Black Sea maritime security hub.
The hub is planned jointly by Bulgaria and Romania to improve information-sharing and strengthen security at sea.
Von der Leyen announced the funding on Tuesday in Bulgaria’s port city of Varna.
The pledge followed drone attacks on cargo ships near Romania and Bulgaria that killed seafarers and left others missing.
The sources differ on the announcement’s context: one reports the €50 million pledge in Bulgaria, while another reports a separate €10 million for Romanian search and rescue.
- Who
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged the funding to support the Black Sea maritime security hub.
- What
- The EU pledged €50 million to help speed up the hub’s launch.
- When
- Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
- Where
- Varna, Bulgaria.
- Why
- To accelerate the hub, which is intended to improve maritime information-sharing and security and help restore freedom of navigation.
Romania
Russia
Responsibility for attacks
Romania
Romania has accused Russia of systematic strikes on civilian ships but has not attributed individual attacks, citing the need for forensic evidence.
Russia
Russia has denied involvement in the attacks.
At least nine cargo ships were hit by naval drones near Romania and Bulgaria, with several seafarers killed and others missing.
Von der Leyen called for the rapid operationalization of the hub during a briefing in Bucharest and announced €10 million in funding for Romanian search and rescue operations.
Von der Leyen pledged €50 million for the hub during a press conference in Varna.
- EU pledge
- €50 million
- Funding recipient
- Black Sea maritime security hub
- Planned joint operators
- Bulgaria and Romania
- Location of announcement
- Varna, Bulgaria
- Separate Romanian funding
- €10 million for search and rescue operations
3 sources
What people are saying
It is important to have it now up and running and therefore we want to have clear timelines for its completion and we want to offer a dedicated funding of 50 million euros to this Black Sea maritime security hub
We need to operationalize the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub
The skies over the Black Sea have darkened, particularly in recent weeks, with drone attacks targeting commercial ships off your coasts, innocent sailors having lost their lives, others are still missing at sea
I am pleased to announce an additional €10 million ($11.2 million) in funding to Romanian authorities for search and rescue operations