George Scutaru, Director General of New Strategy Center, and Rear Admiral (Ret.) Iuri Covaleov, Senior Associate Expert at New Strategy Center, delivered lectures on Saturday, 26 September, as part of the European Academy for Young Political Leaders, organized by the Romanian Center for European Policies.

The event, which has already become a tradition, brings together annually representatives of the youth organizations of parliamentary political parties, providing a framework for dialogue and the exchange of ideas, as well as access to expertise on current issues.

In his presentation, entitled “Security Challenges in the Black Sea Region. Energy Geopolitics and Regional Security,” George Scutaru analyzed the main developments in the war in Ukraine and possible scenarios, as well as their implications for the security of Romania and the wider Black Sea region. He also highlighted the strategic importance of natural gas resources in the Black Sea and the Neptun Deep project for strengthening Romania’s energy security and increasing the country’s strategic relevance in the region. In this context, George Scutaru also underlined Romania’s main military efforts aimed at strengthening its defence capabilities and contributing to the security of NATO’s Eastern Flank.

Rear Admiral (Ret.) Iuri Covaleov delivered a presentation entitled “The Security of Critical Infrastructure and Strategic Investments in the Black Sea – Current Challenges,” addressing the main risks and vulnerabilities facing critical infrastructure in the region, as well as the need to protect strategic investments in an evolving security environment. Iuri Covaleov also emphasized the widespread use of unmanned systems by the belligerents, highlighting Ukraine’s successful asymmetric approach, which has enabled it to neutralize a significant part of the Russian fleet through the use of aerial and naval drones.