France backs Bulgarian-Romanian Black Sea security hub as Barrot visits Varna
Foreign ministers Velislava Petrova and Jean-Noel Barrot called in Varna for a moratorium on attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea and signed an updated strategic partnership roadmap.
Archive image · Photo: Aurore Martignoni / European Union, 2024 / EC - Audiovisual Service / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited the Bulgarian port city of Varna on Saturday and met his Bulgarian counterpart Velislava Petrova. Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry said it was the first visit to Bulgaria by a French foreign minister in 20 years. The two toured the Naval Academy, which will host the Bulgarian part of a Black Sea maritime security hub.
Bulgaria and Romania are developing the hub as a network of centres in Varna and Constanta, focusing on maritime situational awareness, critical infrastructure protection, cyber security and hybrid threats. Petrova called it part of Europe's strategic approach to Black Sea security. "My message is one of support and solidarity on behalf of France, but also on behalf of Europe," Barrot said, according to BTA.
Following a series of attacks on merchant ships, including in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, both ministers backed a moratorium on such strikes. Barrot said Russia was blocking such initiatives. At the Euxinograd residence they signed an updated roadmap for the two countries' 2008 strategic partnership.