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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION (2026/2933(RSP))

On the escalation of Russian strikes in the EU, particularly on Black Sea shipping, threatening human life, regional stability and food security

B-10-2026-0480

on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: Dan Barna, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, MarieAgnes StrackZimmermann, Eugen Tomac, Lucia Yar, Malik Azmani, Dainius Žalimas, Petras Auštrevičius, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Anna Stürgkh, Helmut Brandstätter, Hilde Vautmans, JanChristoph Oetjen, Urmas Paet, Karin Karlsbro, Ľubica Karvašová

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 27 Oct 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

A resolution condemning Russian attacks on civilian shipping, seafarers and Black Sea and Danube ports, including inside the territorial waters and exclusive economic zones of Romania and Bulgaria. It demands Russia stop all attacks on merchant vessels and port infrastructure, respect freedom of navigation and accept a ceasefire in the Black Sea. It calls for a coordinated EU and NATO response: an EU Black Sea Maritime Security Hub at Constanța and Varna, a European Sky Shield Initiative over the Black Sea, and stronger NATO surveillance and counter-drone measures. It asks for further sanctions and enforcement, protection of offshore energy infrastructure, measures to ease war-risk costs, support for seafarers and for Ukrainian export routes, and an International Maritime Organization assessment of the attacks. It says deliberate attacks on civilian vessels may constitute war crimes and calls for evidence to be preserved and those responsible held to account.

Key points

  1. Condemns Russia's attacks on civilian shipping, seafarers and Black Sea and Danube ports, including within the territorial waters and exclusive economic zones of Romania and Bulgaria.
  2. Says Russian aggression harms the security and economy of the whole Black Sea region and beyond, including through food security, and that Russia alone is responsible for destabilising the Black Sea.
  3. Demands Russia cease all attacks on merchant vessels and civilian port infrastructure, respect freedom of navigation and stop weaponising global food supplies; calls for pressing Russia to accept a Black Sea ceasefire.
  4. Expresses condolences to families of killed seafarers, commends Romanian and Bulgarian rescue services, and says attacks on civilian vessels may be war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute.
  5. Calls for a coordinated EU response with NATO and stronger political commitment to implement the EU Strategic Approach to the Black Sea region in security, connectivity and resilience.
  6. Calls for rapid operationalisation of the EU Black Sea Maritime Security Hub in Constanța and Varna, funded from unspent current multiannual financial framework funds and earmarked in the next one.
  7. Urges a European Sky Shield Initiative over the Black Sea and asks NATO to strengthen air, maritime and subsea surveillance, deploy counter-drone systems and intensify joint mine clearance.
  8. Calls for stronger protection of critical offshore energy infrastructure such as Neptun Deep, and on Russia to cease sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation and airspace violations.
  9. Welcomes the Council's sanctions listings of 12 October 2026 and calls for further targeted measures, strict enforcement, action against circumvention and measures against the Russian shadow fleet.
  10. Calls on the Commission to assess measures on war-risk costs, support seafarers' welfare, maintain export routes including the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, and work to lift member state restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural imports.
  11. Calls on the International Maritime Organization to assess the attacks on merchant vessels and support international moratorium efforts to guarantee freedom of commercial navigation.
  12. Reiterates EU support to Ukraine until a just and lasting peace, stressing that maintaining Ukraine's export capacity is essential to its economic resilience and defence financing.

Who is affected

  • Seafarers and merchant shipping in the Black Sea, who face attacks, injury and death; the text calls for their protection and welfare support.
  • Romania and Bulgaria, whose territorial waters and exclusive economic zones have been struck; the text backs their calls for a maritime security hub and NATO surveillance.
  • Ukraine, whose Black Sea and Danube export routes the text seeks to safeguard and whose export capacity it calls essential.
  • Food-importing countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, which rely on Ukrainian grain and face higher prices and hunger risk.
  • EU operators and ports facing higher war-risk premiums and freight rates, for which the Commission is asked to assess mitigation measures.

Figures and deadlines

  • 3 790 tonnes of propane carried by the tanker Gas Lisbon when it was struck about 20 nautical miles off the Romanian coast.
  • Over 90 % of Ukraine's agricultural exports pass through the corridor targeted by bombardment of Danube and Black Sea port terminals.
  • Of wheat and sunflower oil imports to Africa in 2021, those from Ukraine accounted for 16 % and 23 % respectively.
  • The Black Sea war-risk listed area was extended on 16 September 2026 to the whole basin except the territorial waters of Türkiye, Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia.
  • The Council's sanctions listings of 12 October 2026 cover 826 companies and 743 executives of the military-industrial complex.
  • Neptun Deep is due to start production in 2027 and is expected to make Romania the EU's largest gas producer.
  • A 23.1 % decrease in official development assistance in 2025 is cited.