German Foreign Minister warns that the Black Sea is becoming a theater of war after attacks on commercial vessels

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned on Wednesday that the Black Sea is increasingly becoming a theater of war following drone attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Bulgaria. The official called on Russia to accept a ceasefire to protect maritime shipping and grain deliveries.

During a meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart, Velislava Petrova-Chamova, Wadephul said European countries are “all in the same boat” and called for continued economic pressure on Moscow. He warned that potential attacks on shipping could particularly affect vulnerable populations in Africa and other regions of the Global South.

Over the past week, four commercial vessels have been hit in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. On October 6, the vessels Alfa Watan and Able were attacked, and the former sank. On October 13, HS Dignity sank, with 11 crew members reported missing, while Chelsea-3 was damaged. Bulgaria is considering referring the matter to the UN Security Council and activating Article 4 of NATO, possibly together with Romania. Authorities suspect Russian involvement, although there is no conclusive evidence so far.