NATO allies to form mine-sweeping force to clear Black Sea route

Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria are discussing the creation of a joint force to clear any mines that drift into their waters from Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to three officials familiar with the talks, Report informs referring to Bloomberg.

The three NATO members are still working out the details but may set up the unit as early as next month, according to two of the officials, who all asked not to be identified because the talks were private.

With Russia’s attacks on Ukraine getting ever closer to NATO’s borders, the alliance is trying to balance its response to the incidents to avoid further escalation. From drone parts to at least a dozen mines carried by the currents, the war is threatening to encroach on the territory of the only three NATO countries with direct access to the Black Sea, a major trade route, forcing them to step up defensive measures.

While not a NATO operation as such, the joint force to clear sea mines would be the first major combined effort among allies in the Black Sea since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. It comes at a time when the allies face increasingly provocative behavior by Russia in the region as well as incidents that appear to be accidental spillover.

The new force is intended to be entirely peaceful and won’t bring any new NATO vessels to the sea, two of the officials said. One of the goals of the mission is to show the three countries are capable of addressing the problem themselves, one official said.