On March 23, the Third Black Sea Security Conference of the International Crimea Platform took place in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova.
The event was co-organized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Ministries of Defense of Ukraine and Moldova, with the support of the European Commission and in partnership with the non-governmental organization "Media Center Ukraine." Previous conferences were held in Bucharest in 2023 and Sofia in 2024.
The event was attended by delegations from Black Sea region states and partners (including Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Georgia), as well as international and regional organizations—at the level of ministers (including via online participation), their deputies, state secretaries, EU commissioners, secretaries-general of international organizations, members of parliament, and representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Moldova.
The main topics of the conference were current security challenges in the Black Sea region, particularly the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine, and an assessment of their impact on the regional and European security architecture. The conference program included 4 panels dedicated to: an overview of the security situation in the Black Sea and the corridor to Ukrainian ports; countering maritime threats caused by Russian aggression and strengthening regional security cooperation; and the strategic role of the Black Sea in European security.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, joined the opening of the conference in an online format and delivered a welcoming speech to the participants. Welcoming speeches were also delivered by the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, Mihai Popșoi, the Minister of Defense of Moldova, Anatolie Nosatîi, and the Secretary General of the BSEC Permanent International Secretariat, Lazar Comănescu. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, addressed the attendees via video message.
At this year's Black Sea Security Conference, Ukraine was represented, on behalf of Minister Andrii Sybiha, by a delegation led by Deputy Minister Oleksandr Mishchenko, which included representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine. Additionally, Ukrainian Members of Parliament Solomiya Bobrovska and Yulia Sirko, as well as the Permanent Representative of the President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Olha Kuryško, participated in the work of the respective conference panels.
"The Putin regime is not interested in ending hostilities and establishing peace, which creates additional security, economic, and humanitarian challenges for the Black Sea region. This is precisely why we ask our partners to deepen sanctions so that the Russian enemy lacks the capacity to continue its aggressive war against Ukraine. To achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, we must strike at the key sectors of the Russian economy—energy and the defense-industrial complex—and combat the Russian shadow fleet. It is also vital to maintain solidarity and unity among partner states, as the Kremlin fears our cohesion most of all and tries in every way to undermine it," noted Deputy Minister Oleksandr Mishchenko during his speech in the first panel of the conference.
At the same time, the Ukrainian diplomat emphasized that Ukraine's security and defense forces, while daily repelling Russian missile and drone attacks, have acquired significant experience and knowledge that will further contribute to ensuring the security of the Black Sea region.
Additionally, within the fourth panel of the conference, dedicated to sharing Ukraine's experience regarding the use of advanced technological solutions in modern warfare, representatives of the security and defense forces of Ukraine held a separate presentation focused on specific security challenges for the region caused by Russian aggression, as well as the capabilities of the Ukrainian military to counter Russian attacks. As part of the presentation, representatives of the Ukrainian security and defense forces called on foreign partners to begin preparing to counter the aggressor at this stage, taking into account Ukraine's modern experience in countering Russian occupation forces.
In his closing remarks to the conference participants, Oleksandr Mishchenko noted that security in the Black Sea region is an integral component of the overall security of Europe. Only the full restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the de-occupation of Crimea, will pave the way for lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. In this context, supporting Ukraine in its struggle against the aggressor state—Russia—is a common interest of all Black Sea countries. Additionally, the Deputy Minister noted the success of the event and thanked the Moldovan side for their joint work in organizing this year's Black Sea Security Conference.
The closing remarks were also delivered by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova, Valeriu Mija.
Furthermore, in the hall of the Palace of the Republic—the venue of the conference—a photo exhibition titled "War: Information Backstage" was held. Created by the Media Center Ukraine team, it showcases unique photographs of life in Ukraine during the four years of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses its sincere gratitude to its partners for organizing the Third Black Sea Security Conference.