George Scutaru, Director General of the New Strategy Center, participated on November 10 in the conference “Fields of Power. Mapping the New Energy Frontiers”, organized by the Romanian Energy Employers’ Federation in partnership with the Ministry of Energy.

As a speaker on the panel “Security: The Battlefield Above the Pipelines”, George Scutaru addressed the main security challenges in the Black Sea region, in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the threats to freedom of navigation, connectivity, and critical energy infrastructure.

A central focus of his intervention was the importance of protecting the Neptun Deep project, a strategic investment for the energy security of Romania and the wider region. With natural gas production in the Black Sea set to begin in 2027, Romania is expected to become the largest natural gas producer in the European Union, helping to reduce the region’s dependence on Russian gas.

George Scutaru emphasized that Romania must invest in defence and strengthen its capabilities, particularly in surveillance and reconnaissance. In this regard, he highlighted the need for a robust Allied presence in the Black Sea region to more effectively deter Russia’s aggressive actions.

The panel was moderated by Raluca Covrig, Public Affairs Director at the Romanian Energy Employers’ Federation. The other speakers were Raed Arafat, Secretary of State, Ministry of Internal Affairs; Cristian Hubati, Member of the Executive Board, OMV Petrom; Oana Ijdelia, Board Member, Black Sea Oil & Gas; and Yordan Bozhilov, Director, Sofia Security Forum.