Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria have agreed to join their efforts to clear Ukrainian mines, which are increasingly being carried by sea currents into the Black Sea and landing on their shores in the most inappropriate places.
From time to time, foreign media reports appear in the foreign media about how Ukrainian sea mines have appeared either on the coast of a well-known Turkish resort or on the Romanian or Bulgarian coast. But it is not only the coastal strip of these countries that is under threat, but also the sea routes of civilian vessels.
The countries cannot cope with the problem alone and are going to create a joint force to deal with demining the Black Sea.
The agreement between the countries will be signed by the defence ministers of the three countries in Istanbul on 11 January, Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler said.
“The coalition will try to eliminate the threat to the main trade route, especially grain, and protect ships exploring energy resources in the area. According to Guler, Turkey has detected a growing number of Ukrainian mines drifting towards the Turkish straits,” the US news agency Bloomberg wrote.
Güler emphasised that demining the Black Sea would not be considered a NATO operation, despite the fact that all three countries are members of the alliance.
Turkey opposes the presence of naval forces in the Black Sea of other NATO countries, including the United States, the Turkish minister stressed, explaining that they could further increase tensions in the region.
“The Black Sea can be governed by the countries that have the Black Sea coastline because we know that if someone from outside enters, the peace in that place will be disturbed. But of course we will ask for help from our allies if we need it,” Yaşar Güler noted.
No one knows how many Ukrainian sea mines are drifting in the waters of the Black Sea today.
One Homeland