This week, military members from 12 NATO nations commenced their yearly naval drill under Romanian leadership in the Black Sea and the Danube River Delta.
More than 2,300 service members are participating in the exercise known as “Sea Shield,” which is designed to enhance cooperation between allied naval, air, and ground units.
1,600 Romanian soldiers are taking part along with 11 allied nations — Albania, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, the US, and Turkey.
The exercise was held for the first time in 2015. Following Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it has become even more pertinent. Romania’s Naval Forces characterize it as “their most intricate event.”
The Black Sea’s crucial part in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine
The Black Sea is a tightly enclosed and relatively small sea comprising the near waters of the countries that surround it: Turkey to the south, Bulgaria and Romania to the west, Georgia to the east, and Ukraine and Russia to the north.
Control of the Black Sea’s near waters has been contested throughout the centuries and has played a role in the current Russian-Ukraine war.
Russia’s seizure of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 allowed it to control the naval port of Sevastopol. What were near waters of Ukraine became de facto near waters for Russia.
Controlling these near waters allowed Russia to disrupt Ukraine’s trade, especially the export of grain to African far waters.
But Russia’s actions were thwarted through the collaboration of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey to allow passage of cargo ships through their near waters, then through the Bosporus into the Mediterranean Sea.
Attempts to limit Russia’s influence over Ukraine’s coastal areas in the Black Sea, coupled with Russia’s reluctance to deal with the repercussions of targeting vessels within the vicinity of NATO nations’ waters, allowed Ukraine continued use of distant maritime regions for economic benefit and helped sustain its national economy.
On 25 March, the US announced it had proposed a ceasefire deal to Ukraine and Russia to “eliminate the use of force” in the Black Sea after talks in Saudi Arabia.
But the partial ceasefire in the Black Sea that could allow safer shipments has fallen foul of conditions imposed by Kremlin negotiators.
“We take the models and solutions presented by the Americans very seriously, but we cannot simply adopt them without modification,” stated Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
Moscow is delaying negotiations aimed at facilitating shipping in the Black Sea with the intention of “derailing attempts towards a comprehensive truce and securing further concessions from the Western powers,” as stated in a report released on Monday by the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War think tank.