Three members of the Alliance (Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania) border the Black Sea, and NATO regularly conducts exercises and operations in the Black Sea to maintain a reliable and effective combat readiness.

The Black Sea region is a major crossroads and critical intersection of Europe and the Middle East, of  Eastern Balkans and the South Caucasus. Like many such points of intersection, it is often a point of tension and conflict taking place in a geopolitical environment of growing confrontation between Russia and the West.

After Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, NATO increased its presence in the Black Sea. NATO ships regularly operate in the Black Sea – in accordance with international law, they patrol the waters for about two-thirds of the year. Such exercises aim to increase interoperability between participating units and to strengthen NATO’s combat readiness in the Black Sea region.

The Standing NATO Maritime Groups (SNMG2) are a multinational, integrated maritime force made up of vessels from various Allied countries. These vessels are continuously available to perform a broad spectrum of tasks ranging from deterrence and situational awareness exercises to conducting operational missions. They also help establish Alliance presence, demonstrate solidarity, conduct routine visits to different countries and support partner engagement.

Georgia plays an important role and is practically engaged in ensuring the Black Sea security, as evidenced by the visits of NATO vessels and joint events, as well as by the training of boarding teams of the Georgian coast guard, the exchange of intelligence information and the development of air and sea monitoring capabilities.