The European Union has been aware of what is happening in the Black Sea and will invest 75 billion euros for the modernization of regional infrastructure such as ports, railways and airports, in order to facilitate the movements of heavy military troops and equipment
The European Union presented, on Wednesday, the new large-scale strategic plan for the defense of the Black Sea. Brussels’ goal is to improve the European capacity for the transportation of heavy military equipment in the region, taking into account the Russian threat in eastern Europe, the.
Kaja Kallas recalls that “Black Sea security is vital to European security.” At a press conference, the European Commission vice president states that, at this moment, the region is being undermined by the Kremlin War and its hybrid attacks on maritime infrastructure.
Marta Kos, European commissioner for the expansion and neighborhood policy, classifies this new strategy as a response to the “geopolitical challenges” of a world where “dependencies are being used as weapons.”
Brussels says this plan is motivated by the destabilization present currently in the region, which has had a direct impact on the flow of goods, but is also a response to fear of the countries of Eastern Europe in the event of any new aggressions of Moscow.
The countries most impacted by Brussels’ announcement are Romania and Bulgaria, both with Costa in the Black Sea.
According to Kaja Kallas, the European Union aims to invest in the modernization of regional infrastructures such as ports, railways and airports, to facilitate the movements of heavy military troops and equipment.
“This will help ensure that troops can be where they are needed, when they are necessary,” says Kallas.
According to the European Commissioner for Transport, Tzitzikostas apostles, the plan is expected to cost about 75 billion euros and aims to modernize transport infrastructures for military use throughout Europe.
In addition to investment in defense infrastructures, the European Union will create a Black Sea Maritime Security Center, which will serve as a European alert system in the region.
Kallas believes that the center will strengthen monitoring capacity in the region and will help Member States protect critical infrastructures. The location of the center, the operational model and the costs are yet to determine.
Another of the measures presented is the monitoring of foreign ownership of ports and other important facilities.
Brussels also wants to prepare the coastal communities and the maritime economy of Europe to deal with the environmental damage derived from war and the risks of climate change.
At the level of commerce, Brussels wants to create energy corridors, transportation calls and digital infrastructure that unite regional European partners. The European Commission highlights Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Türkiye, Armenia and Azerbaijan as partners with whom it intends to strengthen ties through new strategic partnerships.
