Sybiha calls on partners to consider Black Sea's potential as route for non-Russian energy resources to Europe

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has called on partners to consider the Black Sea’s potential as a route for non-Russian energy resources to Europe and to develop the Three Seas initiative (Adriatic-Baltic-Black Sea).

He stated this during the online opening of the Third Black Sea Security Conference, which is taking place in Chisinau on Monday.

In his speech, Sybiha focused on three key points. First, he said, the Black Sea must once again become a sea of ​​peace and security. The minister emphasized that freedom of navigation must be restored, which is crucial for global food security. He called for increased pressure on Russia, which carried out more attacks on Odesa port infrastructure last month than in the entire previous year.

"We need to work together to force the Kremlin to stop its aggression, agree to a ceasefire, and move toward genuine diplomacy," the Foreign Minister emphasized.

Among other important steps, he cited demining and active sanctions against the "Russian grain shadow fleet." Sybiha recalled that last year alone, Russia illegally shipped 2 million tonnes of stolen Ukrainian grain from Ukraine via the Black Sea for sale in other countries.

Secondly, as the head of the department noted, future security guarantees for Ukraine should include a maritime security component.

"Long-term peace in the region requires not only the presence of our allies’ military forces on land, but also the presence of our allies’ warships in our waters," the minister emphasized.

He noted the readiness of several countries, particularly Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, and Turkey, to play a major role in Black Sea security. He also urged everyone to remember the European choice of the Georgian people.

Thirdly, as Sybiha emphasized, the liberation of Crimea from Russian occupation is the only path to long-term security in the Black Sea region.

"There can be no stable trade at sea, at the very heart of which lies a militarized peninsula under the control of an aggressive state. What began in Crimea must end in Crimea. Crimea is Ukraine," the minister stated.

Sybiha called on partners to consider the Black Sea in a broader geopolitical context, develop the Three Seas initiative (Adriatic-Baltic-Black Sea), and consider the Black Sea’s potential as a route for non-Russian energy resources to Europe.

"Today, what happens in the Baltic Sea resonates in the Black Sea, because our security is indivisible. This is how we should understand our security space – as a single axis from the Baltic to the Black Sea. It’s all about our shared benefits and prosperity. But it all begins with security," Sybiha emphasized.

Sybiha noted that security is a prerequisite for economic prosperity. He noted that, despite the war in the Middle East, the allies’ attention remains focused on Ukraine and the Black Sea, as it is here that the fate of European and global security is being decided.

"The EU’s Black Sea Strategy, adopted last year, is an important step forward. It’s right that its first fundamental component is security. Ukraine, as a future EU member and a contributor to European security, will play a vital role in implementing this strategy," the Foreign Minister said.

In his speech, the minister emphasized the importance of holding the event in Moldova, as this country, like other neighboring states, has suffered from restrictions on freedom of navigation, disruptions to supply chains, and a lack of security in the Black Sea as a result of the Russian aggression.

The Black Sea Security Conference is the second flagship event of the International Crimea Platform, following the annual summit. Previous conferences were held in Bucharest (2023) and Sofia (2024).