Von der Leyen Pledges EU Security Aid for Black Sea
Ursula von der Leyen visited Romania and Bulgaria to announce new security funding and address escalating hybrid threats in the Black Sea region.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen conducted a diplomatic tour of the Black Sea region on November 9 and 10, 2026, to address escalating hybrid threats and maritime incursions. During the visit, von der Leyen announced that the European Commission is allocating an additional €10 million to Romanian authorities to support search and rescue operations, stating the move strengthens the EU's capacity to respond to crises at its borders.
In Bucharest, von der Leyen met with Romanian President Nicusor Dan at Cotroceni Palace and Prime Minister Luca Niculescu at Victoria Palace. Discussions focused on maritime surveillance, defense investments, and EU enlargement regarding Moldova. The European Commission noted that approximately half of recent hybrid incidents have affected Romania, Bulgaria, and the Black Sea region.
On November 10, von der Leyen traveled to Varna, Bulgaria, where she met Prime Minister Rumen Radev and visited the Nikola Yonkov Vaptsarov Naval Academy. Throughout the tour, she reaffirmed the commitment to restore and preserve freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. Prior to the regional visit, von der Leyen spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to support a ceasefire covering food and energy infrastructure. She is scheduled to travel to Antalya, Turkey, on November 11 for the COP31 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
