Bulgaria weighs NATO Article 4 request amid Black Sea drone attacks

Following a series of drone strikes on commercial ships in the Black Sea, one of which sank, President Iliana Iotova indicated that Bulgaria could invoke Article 4 of the NATO treaty. Sofia is requesting permanent aerial and satellite surveillance of its Exclusive Economic Zone and aims to deepen cooperation with Romania and Turkey to safeguard civilian maritime corridors. Iotova also seeks to place maritime security on the agenda of an extraordinary European Council session, noting the escalating Ukraine-Russia war is transforming the region into a battlefield.

Defence ministers from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey have begun talks on coordinated drone-countermeasures, and a trilateral security meeting is slated for the coming days to define concrete actions. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rumen Radev called an emergency security council meeting before discussions with the Russian ambassador and NATO Secretary General.