Three NATO countries to create joint force to clear Black Sea grain corridor of mines

Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria are discussing the creation of a joint force to clear any mines that fall into their waters due to Russia's war against Ukraine.

Source. Bloomberg writes about this with reference to sources close to the negotiations.

As Russia's attacks on Ukraine get closer to NATO's borders, the alliance is trying to respond to the incidents while avoiding further escalation. From drone strikes to dozens of mines carried by the current, the war threatens to invade the territory of these three NATO countries, which have direct access to the Black Sea.

Bulk carriers, which resumed exporting agricultural products from Ukraine in September, are now traveling to and from its Black Sea ports along the coasts of these countries. Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey have their own trade routes running along these shores.

Details are still being worked out, three officials with knowledge of the initiative told Bloomberg. According to two of them, the joint maritime unit could be established as early as November. It will be peaceful and will not involve new NATO vessels.

Although it is not an actual alliance operation, it will be the first joint initiative of NATO countries in the Black Sea since the Russian invasion, Bloomberg notes.

russia may use sea mines to prevent civilian vessels from passing through the "humanitarian corridor" that Ukraine has established to remove grain from its seaports, the British Foreign Office said last week, citing intelligence.

"Russia almost certainly wants to avoid open attacks on civilian vessels with the intention of sinking them and instead intends to blame Ukraine for any attacks on such vessels in the Black Sea," the statement said.

Mines, missile and drone debris are increasingly reaching the territory of NATO countries. The reasons for this include both coincidence (at least dozens of mines have been washed to the western shore of the Black Sea by currents) and, according to some experts, Russia's increasingly provocative actions.

So far, the alliance has tried to treat such events as "accidental." However, this issue will be discussed at a meeting of NATO defense ministers this week, a NATO diplomat told Bloomberg.

Background. As a reminder, Zelenskyy announced the opening of a new "grain corridor" through Moldova and Romania.