Author: Zaal Margvelashvili, Research Fellow at the Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training and Research Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

November 2019

Security and stability is a necessary precondition for steady development, successful integration into the global political and economic systems and sustainable economic growth in the Black Sea area and Black Sea states, including Georgia.

During the cold war era, the Black Sea was “divided” between the Republic of Turkey, as a NATO member from one side and the Former Soviet Union and its Allies from the Warsaw Pact – the People’s Republic of Bulgaria and the Social Republic of Romania from the other side. Hence, security in the Black Sea was based on the balance of power and interests between the NATO and the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact.

After the end of the cold war, the strategic balance in the Black Sea area was remarkably changed. Through the several waves of the enlargements of NATO and European Union, in the Black Sea along with the Republic of Turkey appeared 2 more NATO members, which at the same time are European Union members: the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania. After joining NATO their security inter-alia is guaranteed by the “Washington Treaty” and the NATO capabilities.

As a result of these historic events, the role and the geo-political economic significance of the Black Sea was remarkably increased. The Black Sea coastal states, including Georgia and Ukraine, got a new geopolitical role, new opportunities and new challenges.

This narrative aims at analyzing the process of evolving the balance of power and the security mechanisms in the Black Sea.