Kaja Kallas: Six attacks in the Black Sea in ten days demand a European response
Kaja Kallas demanded a unified European response to six attacks targeting civilian vessels off Bulgaria and Romania within ten days, while seven sailors remain missing.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on the European Parliament for a unified European response to escalating attacks in the Black Sea, following six attacks on civilian ships off Bulgaria and Romania within ten days.
Speaking at a session in Strasbourg, Kallas said the attacks attributed to Russian drones represent a dangerous and unacceptable escalation in the Black Sea. She added that Romanian F-16 fighter jets shot down two drones over Romanian territorial waters on Saturday.
Rescuers are still searching for seven missing sailors after a drone attack on two oil tankers near the coast of Romania. Kallas stated that Ukraine loses about 60 million euros daily in export revenues, and that around 90% of its agricultural exports pass through the Black Sea corridor.
She noted that the European Union is working to enhance maritime security through a joint center with Romania and Bulgaria, and that 51 countries met at the UN General Assembly to condemn Russia and demand safe passage in the Black Sea. The European Parliament is scheduled to vote on a resolution regarding the attacks on October 22.
What do these terms mean?
Territorial waters: A maritime zone in which a state's sovereignty typically extends 12 nautical miles from its coast.
Drones: Unmanned aerial vehicles that are remotely piloted or autonomous, used for surveillance or attack.
Safe maritime corridor: An agreed route for civilian ships that ensures passage without being targeted.
Weekly Newsletter
Read between the lines before everyone else. Decode the most important economic, tech, and decision-maker movements in the region.. in 5 minutes every Saturday.
