In brief
During a visit to Bulgaria with an EU Parliament delegation, President Iliana Iotova announced a proposal for a security forum that would bring together Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine and Russia to negotiate a moratorium on hostilities in the Black Sea. She urged closer EU and NATO defense coordination and called for a European‑led peace proposal, citing Finland and Norway’s diplomatic outreach to Russia. The proposal highlights Bulgaria’s strategic role and demands stronger technological capabilities for monitoring the Black Sea’s security environment.
The President of Bulgaria, Iliana Iotova, announced on Friday a proposal for a security forum that would involve the six countries that border the Black Sea – Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine and Russia – with the aim of securing a temporary halt to hostilities in the region. The announcement was made during a meeting with a delegation of Members of the European Parliament in Sofia, where the president further urged the European Union and NATO to strengthen defence cooperation and to play a more active role in negotiating peace.
The delegation arrived at the Bulgarian capital at the invitation of Bulgarian MEPs Andrey Novakov and Emil Radev. According to the President's Press Secretariat, the group, which also included MEPs from Austria, Germany and Poland, was invited to gain first‑hand insight into the situation in the Black Sea amid mounting drone attacks and growing concerns over regional energy security. The officials held a series of talks with Bulgarian authorities and were briefed on the impacts that the war in Ukraine is having on European economic and social systems.
In her remarks Iotova stressed that the destabilisation of the Black Sea must be addressed by responsible political action and focused on the need for free and safe shipping in the basin. She pointed to the numerous meetings and talks that Bulgaria has held at national and EU‑level with partners in both the EU and NATO, as well as initiatives that involve Romania and Turkey, in an effort to coordinate a more cohesive defence posture across the basin.
Highlighting the broader diplomatic context, the president described the war in Ukraine as a “war of attrition” that must be avoided at all costs, and voiced a call for Europe to step forward with its own peace proposal. She specifically cited recent diplomatic outreach by Finland and Norway, whose leaders had engaged the Russian president in talks aimed at de‑escalation. Iotova stressed that the EU should increase its capacity for early warning and technological monitoring, adding that such steps would help to ensure that future conflicts do not spiral into a wider regional crisis.
Presenting Bulgaria as a bridge between the conflicting powers, Iotova noted that the country “has historical ties with both sides and should take part in seeking a solution that will bring lasting and sustainable peace.” She underscored that Bulgaria’s proximity to the conflict, as well as its experience dealing with drone strikes, put it in a unique position to be part of a multilateral process that could lead to a permanent moratorium on hostilities. The proposal places the country at the centre of a potential multilateral security architecture that would require the active participation of all six littoral states.
During her speech, President Iotova highlighted the need for technology‑driven solutions to protect the Black Sea:
After the strikes in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, assistance came from NATO, not the EU.She added that the European Union must boost its technological capabilities to monitor and respond to immediate threats in the Black Sea region.
The agenda for the forum, as outlined by Iotova, also includes a discussion of energy security, a key issue for the European Union in light of its broader push for independence from Russian gas supplies. She argued that the conflict in the region complicates the EU’s ongoing efforts to diversify energy sources and that a stable Black Sea, free from hostilities, would contribute significantly to Europe's economic resilience.
By calling for the establishment of a moratorium, the Bulgarian president is seeking to reinforce accountability among all six littoral states, encouraging institutions such as the European Parliament, NATO and the Council of Europe to enforce non‑military commitments in the contested zone. If realized, the forum could provide a platform for regular convenings, offering a structured mechanism for crisis management, early warning and confidence‑building measures, thereby enhancing institutional transparency and public trust in the international order.
