Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation

02/06/2026

A Russian drone strikes Romania. Is NATO adapting quickly enough to a new era of warfare?

In his latest analysis, our colleague Valerii Kravets examines the implications of a Russian drone incident on Romanian territory and argues that repeated violations of NATO airspace require a stronger and more coordinated response. Drawing on Ukraine's experience, the piece highlights important lessons for the Alliance's deterrence posture and preparedness in the face of evolving threats.

Read the full analysis:

Russian Drone in Romania: Implications for NATO and Ukraine. Find out more.

02/06/2026

Can connectivity reshape the future of the South Caucasus?

In her latest analysis, our colleague Irina Neagu explores how Armenia is emerging as a key link between Europe, the Black Sea region, and Central Asia. As regional dynamics shift following the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace agreement and amid growing efforts to diversify trade and transport routes, connectivity is becoming much more than infrastructure - it is increasingly about resilience, security, economic integration, and geopolitical orientation.

Armenia’s upcoming political choices will have implications far beyond its borders, influencing regional cooperation, new transport corridors, and the broader architecture connecting Europe and Asia.

Read the full analysis here:

Breadcrumb Home Press A New Connectivity Hub Insights A New Connectivity Hub Armenia finds itself at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. June 01, 2026 by Irina Neagu 5 min read Share Security and Geopolitics Strategic Infrastructure Caucasus Photo: Shutterstock/ Barney.DC Print Article Listen to this...

15/05/2026

Yesterday at , GMF joined partners and regional stakeholders for a strategic dialogue on the future of NATO’s Eastern Flank and the growing importance of regional cooperation in defence, industry, and reconstruction.

Together with Aspen Institute Romania and Lunox International Holding, we co-hosted the invitation-only roundtable “𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚–𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝–𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤 – 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧” at Romaero.

The discussion brought together government representatives, diplomats, industry leaders, and strategic experts from Romania, Poland, and Ukraine to explore how regional partnerships can contribute not only to immediate security needs, but also to long-term resilience, industrial cooperation, and reconstruction efforts.

The event featured keynote remarks by H.E. Irineu Darău, Minister of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism of Romania, and closing remarks by H.E. Radu Miruță, Minister of National Defense of Romania. The high-level diplomatic dialogue included Clara Volintiru, Secretary of State at the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and H.E. Ihor Prokopchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine to Romania.

From deterrence and defence capabilities to trilateral industrial collaboration, the dialogue highlighted the importance of practical, strategic, and future-oriented coordination across the region.

13/05/2026

Today, GMF\TF co-hosted DEFEND - a workshop on democratic electoral frameworks and resilience against disinformation, connecting our Bucharest office with Ukrainian Prism's Kyiv hub and participants online.

Experts and practitioners from Romania, Moldova, Armenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Hungary, and Germany gathered to tackle some of the most pressing questions around electoral integrity in the region - from how digital vote distortion is replacing traditional interference tactics, to what legislative and civil society responses are actually working on the ground.

Electoral resilience doesn't build itself. Events like this are how the region stays a step ahead.

This workshop was part of our ProElect project, funded by the European Commission.

07/05/2026

In his latest piece for Liga.net, our colleague Valerii Kravets examines what the fall of Bolojan’s government means for Ukraine.

He argues that this does not signal a pro-Russian shift or a “Hungarian scenario.” With President Dan maintaining the strategic direction and institutional continuity in place, Romania’s structural interest in a stable Ukraine remains unchanged.

At the same time, the analysis highlights the need for Ukraine to focus less on short-term political developments and more on strengthening long-term bilateral ties that endure beyond any single government.

Read the full article (in Ukrainian):

Чому відставка уряду Боложана може загальмувати спільні оборонні проєкти з Україною

06/05/2026

German Marshall Fund recently hosted a lunch roundtable on Armenia’s upcoming elections, bringing together leading experts for an in-depth exchange on the country’s political landscape and regional dynamics.

The discussion featured H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan, Ambassador of Armenia to the United States; Tigran Grigoryan, Director of the Regional Center for Democracy and Security; Mane Adamyan, Senior Policy Expert; and Narek Sukiasyan, GMF Consultant. The conversation was moderated by Melissa Hooper, Deputy Managing Director and Senior Fellow at GMF.

The roundtable explored democratic governance prospects ahead of the elections, regional security developments, and Armenia–U.S. cooperation, including initiatives in AI, semiconductors, and energy security, as well as the broader peace process.

This discussion was organized under the StrengthEU programme, funded by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, with the support of Irina Neagu, Project Manager at GMF’s Bucharest Office.

06/05/2026

As Yerevan Dialogue comes to a close, GMF’s Bucharest office reflects on an event of meaningful engagement focused on the Black Sea region and its growing importance within the Euro-Atlantic space.

Our work continues to bring together policymakers, experts, and partners to strengthen the links between and , advancing across the Black Sea, the South Caucasus, and beyond. From supporting dialogue on emerging connectivity corridors to contributing to conversations on regional stability, GMF Bucharest remains committed to fostering practical, forward-looking exchange.

As part of this effort, we were glad to support and co-host a panel on Black Sea security and connectivity, contributing to the broader discussion at Yerevan.

We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to support initiatives that enhance resilience, diversification, and rule-based cooperation across the wider region.

06/05/2026

We’re live at the Yerevan Dialogue! 🇦🇲

The German Marshall Fund is proud to co-host the panel “Black Sea Security and Connectivity in an Evolving Euro-Atlantic Environment” together with GlobalFocus Center. As the Black Sea region re-emerges as a critical geopolitical space, today’s discussion explores how security and economic connectivity are increasingly intertwined across the wider Euro-Atlantic landscape.

With disruptions to maritime routes reshaping trade and strategy, the conversation highlights the growing importance of alternative corridors linking Europe with the South Caucasus, the Caspian basin, and Central Asia. Panelists are also addressing how initiatives like Armenia’s Crossroads of Peace and broader infrastructure efforts can strengthen resilience, diversification, and rule-based cooperation.

We’re especially pleased that our Senior Vice President for Global Power Shifts, Daniel Kliman, is joining this timely discussion alongside a distinguished group of experts.

Watch the discussion live here:

Yerevan Dialogue 2026 | May 5-6 | Live Streaming | Day 2 | White Hall | ⚡ Riding Through the Storms

24/04/2026

🇦🇲 The German Marshall Fund of the United States was pleased to co-organise the event titled “Hybrid Threats and Disinformation – The Role of Civil Society in Armenia’s Elections” at the European Parliament in Brussels.

As Armenia approaches its parliamentary elections on 7 June 2026, this timely discussion brought together civil society representatives and policymakers to examine the growing impact of hybrid threat, including disinformation and digital manipulation, on democratic processes.

The discussion was expertly moderated by our colleague Etienne Soula, who guided a thoughtful exchange among distinguished speakers, including Mr. Andrey Kovatchev, Member of the European Parliament; Mr. Jan Latal, Strategic Communications Expert, East Stratcom Task Force, European External Action Services; Ms. Lousineh Hakobyan, President, NGO Europe in Law Association; Co-Chair, EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform; Mr. Daniel Ioannisyan, Director, Union of Informed Citizens and Ms. Dorina Baltag, PhD, Researcher, Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs at Loughborough University London. Closing remarks were delivered by Mr. Hovsep Khurshudyan, President of the Free Citizen Civic Initiatives’ Support Center and member of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.

This event highlighted the crucial role of civil society in strengthening democratic resilience and safeguarding electoral integrity in Armenia and across the Eastern Partnership region.

15/04/2026

New funding opportunities are now open under StrengthEU – Strengthening the EU Accession Process in the Eastern Neighborhood.

🌏 As EU enlargement regains strategic importance, these calls support civil society, independent media, and policy actors across the Eastern Partnership region in strengthening democratic resilience and contributing to accession-related reforms.

For more information on the calls, eligibility, and application process, please visit our website:

Breadcrumb Home StrengthEU – Strengthening The EU Accession Process In The Eastern Neighborhood StrengthEU – Strengthening the EU Accession Process in the Eastern Neighborhood The StrengthEU program, funded by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and implemented by the German Marshall Fund o...