Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Calls for Joint Black Sea Response After Russian Drone Attack on Cargo Ship

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held his first phone conversation with newly appointed Romanian Foreign Minister Dan Neculăescu, focusing on Black Sea regional security.

The call followed a Russian drone attack on a civilian cargo ship near the Romanian coast that left one Ukrainian crew member dead and three missing, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on October 23.

During the conversation, Sybiha congratulated Neculăescu on his appointment, and both officials agreed that Ukraine and Romania share a strong mutual interest in maintaining stability across the Black Sea region. The discussions centered on expanding bilateral cooperation and jointly responding to regional security threats.

Highlighting the growing threat to commercial shipping, Sybiha noted that recent Russian actions near Romania demonstrate the far-reaching impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"The recent Russian drone attack on a civilian cargo vessel near the Romanian coast, which killed a Ukrainian citizen and left three other Ukrainian crew members missing, demonstrates how far the consequences of Russian aggression reach," Sybiha emphasized.

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Sybiha stressed that nations must stand united and act decisively to safeguard civilian shipping, protect freedom of navigation, and increase pressure on Russia. Both ministers agreed to remain in close contact and move forward with their shared priorities.

"The Odesa Triangle  will become an important format for further work in this direction. I thanked Romania for its comprehensive support, including Ukraine’s accession to the EU. We also discussed our work to protect the rights of the Ukrainian minority in Romania and the Romanian minority in Ukraine," Sybiha added.

The call followed an escalating series of maritime security incidents in the area, including an attack on October 14, 2026, when a Comoros-flagged tanker was struck by a drone in Romanian territorial waters near Sulina, triggering a fire on board that was successfully extinguished by the 17-member crew without any reported injuries.

The vessel, operating with functional engines, proceeded under its own power toward the port of Constanța while Romanian maritime authorities dispatched a rescue vessel to assist, following a series of similar drone incidents targeting commercial shipping near NATO's Black Sea coastline.

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