Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană highlighted the strategic importance of the Black Sea region to NATO in remarks at the US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (CSCE) Black Sea Summit in Constanta, Romania on Friday (1 July 2022).
Mr. Geoană noted that the Black Sea is key for NATO’s deterrence and defence, and reflects “the broader competition between revisionist and brutal and aggressive Russia and our democratic world”. He further thanked the NATO Allies bordering the Black Sea for their work to strengthen the Alliance and support Ukraine as it resists Russia’s invasion, welcoming efforts to get grain out of Ukraine, and Türkiye’s role in limiting access to Russian warships.
The Deputy Secretary General further welcomed the many historic decisions taken at NATO’s Madrid Summit earlier in the week, including on a fundamental shift to the Alliance’s deterrence and defence, as well as more support for Ukraine.
Held by the CSCE, also known as the Helsinki Commission, the Black Sea Summit brought together senior officials including Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu and Ukrainian Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov.