Cooperation Under Pressure: International Organizations and Black Sea Security

In an increasingly fragile security and political environment, the Black Sea has emerged as a critical geostrategic hub for the West, owing to its role as a connective corridor between Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The region’s significance is further heightened by the persistent political volatility within several of its littoral and adjacent states, manifested through ongoing armed conflicts, unresolved territorial disputes, hybrid threats, democratic backsliding, and growing authoritarian entanglements. These dynamics contribute to regional instability and generate profound uncertainties for international actors such as NATO, the EU, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), all of which maintain economic and security interests in the wider area. Since the end of the Cold War, the Black Sea has witnessed the densest concentration of military confrontations in Europe, culminating in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war (Hess 2022).