Panel XVIa, titled “Why the Black Sea Matters? How Can We Better Face the Multiple Security Challenges?” was organized in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Foundation from Germany. It was chaired by Ms. Cristina CILEACU, a journalist for DIGI 24 TV Station from Romania, and gathered the following speakers: Ms. Ana TINCA, State Secretary for Strategic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Mr. Basat ÖZTÜRK, Director General for International Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Mrs. Yulia KLYMENKO, currently a First Deputy Head of Transport & Infrastructure Committee at Verhovna Rada of Ukraine, Mr. Michaël ROUX, Ambassador for the Eastern Partnership and Black Sea of France, Mr. Stefan MEISTER, Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia under the German Council on Foreign Relations, and Mr. Wilfried JILGE, Senior Adviser Ukraine and more expansive Black Sea within the Stabilization Platform of Germany. Final remarks came from Ms. Katja PLATE, Head of the KAS Offices Romania of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

The discussions focused on the historical importance of the Black Sea for both Russia and riparian NATO member states in military terms, the application of NATO’s Charter Articles, Türkiye’s stance upon the strategic importance of the Black Sea, along with Ukraine’s fight for the Black Sea among other topics. In that sense, the speakers outlined the importance of the Black Sea for Ukraine’s grain exports, the total damage produced by Ukrainian drones over Russia’s Black Sea fleet, the crossroads position of the Black Sea, the application of international law in its region, and finally, the importance to give back Crimea to Ukraine.