RETHINKING THE BLACK SEA SECURITY FACTOR A GAINST THE BACKDROP OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION

Abstract

This paper examines the rethinking of the Black Sea security factor based on the analysis of primary sources, including the texts of speeches by officials and experts, quantitative analysis of scientific publications on Black Sea issues in the Web of Science Core Collection, as well as the results of an international research project on Black Sea security, in which the author of this publication participated, and which included semi-structured interviews with diplomats and experts, as well as a questionnaire expert survey. The study gives grounds to conclude that since the end of the Cold War, the Black Sea region has not been considered one of the most important strategic spaces for a long time, and its security issues have been out of focus for decades, both in Europe and in the Euro-Atlantic community. The reassessment of the importance of the Black Sea security factor for Europe, the United States and the world as a whole occurred only after and under the influence of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which changed the balance of power in the region and threatened the global security architecture. Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine has moved the Black Sea region from the periphery to the centre of Euro-Atlantic security processes, and has shown that this region should be considered an integral part of the overall European security system. The return of largescale war to Europe has forced the countries of the continent to more soberly assess their vulnerabilities and the value of collective defence within NATO. Awareness of the rapidly growing security threats has prompted officials, experts and scholars in Europe and the United States to recognise the strategic importance of the Black Sea region, the need for a clear strategy for the region by Western countries and their regional allies and partners, and the need to take urgent steps to return peace, security and stability to the region.