European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Tuesday that the security situation in the Black Sea is becoming “increasingly concerning” after a series of attacks on commercial vessels.
“Commercial ships and innocent crews are being targeted, with lives already lost at sea,” von der Leyen said, noting that two vessels were hit in Bulgaria’s economic zone. The incidents came a day after a Turkish ship carrying Ukrainian grain was struck and sunk off the Romanian coast. While stressing that “the exact circumstances” are still being established, von der Leyen said the developments were deeply troubling.
“Attacks on civilian shipping are unacceptable,” she said, adding that the European Union stands “in full solidarity” with its eastern member states.