The ninth edition of the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum opened on Wednesday in Bucharest, gathering diplomats, military leaders and analysts from NATO, the EU, and partner countries to discuss key defense and security challenges in the region.
The two-day event, held at the InterContinental Athénée Palace, is organized by the New Strategy Center in cooperation with Romania’s Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine.
This year’s forum features 50 panels and nearly 200 speakers, with discussions centered on the evolving transatlantic relationship, the recalibration of the U.S. military presence in Europe, and the security architecture of the Black Sea region.
Key topics include prospects for a peace deal in Ukraine, the risk of further Russian offensives near the Danube and Romanian border, Russia’s strategic posture, and continued Western support for Moldova amid ongoing hybrid threats.
Delegates will also examine lessons from the battlefield in Ukraine, reconstruction efforts, energy security, cognitive warfare, disinformation, and the impact of emerging technologies on regional stability.
“The forum advocates for a secure and prosperous Black Sea and Balkans region — an open and free space for trade, connectivity, and energy development,” the organizers said in a statement.
High-profile participants include former NATO Supreme Allied Commanders Europe, Generals (Ret.) Philip Breedlove and Curtis Scaparrotti, Russian opposition figures Mikhail Kasyanov and Vladimir Kara-Murza, and Ukrainian resistance members who will share personal accounts of Russia’s occupation and captivity.