France condemns drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea and expresses its solidarity with Romania and Bulgaria

France has strongly condemned the drone attacks targeting commercial ships in the Black Sea, off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, in recent days. Paris expressed its full solidarity with the two countries and described the incidents as a further escalation of the war and a violation of international law.

The message was delivered by Pascal Confavreux, spokesperson for the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and published by the French Embassy in Romania. French diplomacy warned that the intensification of attacks on civilian shipping and commercial vessels poses a threat to the security of the European Union and NATO.

France announced that it would continue to support Ukraine and called for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea. Paris stressed that the security of Romania and Bulgaria is a priority.

The reaction came after Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced that two ships had been hit by drones off the Bulgarian coast, with one sinking. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the attacks, describing them as a new front in the escalation of Russia’s war against Ukraine.