THE BLACK SEA SECURITY DILEMMA: ESCALATION RISKS IN A FRAGMENTED STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT

Russia’s war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year, threatens not only Ukraine but the whole Euro-Atlantic security. The Black Sea region is exposed to a wide range of risks and threats which, combined with weak regional cooperation, EU and NATO’s shortfalls in the area create possibilities for escalation. The dynamics in the development of the transatlantic relations lead toward greater uncertainty. The Black Sea is no longer a peripheral theatre but a strategic testing ground where hybrid pressure, alliance cohesion, and nuclear deterrence intersect.

WE DON'T NEED TEN ANTI-DRON SYSTEMS, BUT A SINGLE SYSTEM TO COMBAT HYBRID ATTACKS

A drone entered Bulgarian territory without being detected in time and crashed into a field. There were no casualties or infrastructure damage, but the incident raised a question that is much more important than the origin of the specific drone: is Bulgaria ready to act in a similar or significantly more complex situation in the future?

WHEN CHILDREN BECOME VIOLENT: CAN WE INTERVENE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?

The brutal murder in Plovdiv, for which minors are accused, caused shock and an understandable public reaction. And many questions. An investigation is still pending and the court will establish the circumstances, motives and the individual responsibility of each of the participants. But I want to raise the topic of radicalization among young people again and, above all, the possibilities for it to be recognized and prevented.

THE MIDDLE CORRIDOR: DOES BULGARIA HAVE A CHANCE TO BECOME ONE OF THE DOORS OF EUROPE?

While Turkey and Romania are already vying to become the European gateways to the Middle Corridor, Bulgaria is almost absent from the conversation. This is strange, because geography gives us some of the best positions along the entire route.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS IN SOUTH-EAST EUROPE: THE WAY AHEAD

The Sofia Security Forum and the Media Program South East Europe of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized on 11 of December 2025 a regional conference to exchange knowledge, identify gaps, and chart a path forward for building stronger, more coherent, and more resilient Strategic communications ecosystems in SEE. In an age of rapid digital transformation, geopolitical volatility, and intensified information warfare, strategic communications (StratCom) has become an indispensable component of national resilience, democratic governance, and regional stability. Countries of South-East Europe (SEE) face a unique combination of challenges: low public trust in institutions, fragmented media environments, disinformation campaigns, and limited inter-institutional coordination. While progress has been made driven by EU, NATO, and donor-supported initiatives strategic communications capacities remain uneven, and often reactive rather than proactive. The conference launched a long-term project aimed at strengthening the role of Strategic Communications in SEE to overcome the above problems.

"STRENGTHENING SECURITY AND RESILIENCE IN THE BLACK SEA REGION"

The Sofia Security Forum and the Embassy of Denmark organized a meeting-discussion with the participation of representatives of the embassies of the EU and NATO member states on security in the Black Sea region. The latest analysis of the Sofia Security Forum and the Romanian New Strategy Center "STRENGTHENING SECURITY AND RESILIENCE IN THE BLACK SEA REGION: Reflections from the Sofia Workshop (19 September 2025)" was presented. Participants discussed the risks and threats in the region and ways to deal with them, as well as the role of NATO and the EU in the region.

THE BLACK SEA SECURITY DILEMMA: ESCALATION RISKS IN A FRAGMENTED STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT

WE DON'T NEED TEN ANTI-DRON SYSTEMS, BUT A SINGLE SYSTEM TO COMBAT HYBRID ATTACKS

WHEN CHILDREN BECOME VIOLENT: CAN WE INTERVENE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?

THE MIDDLE CORRIDOR: DOES BULGARIA HAVE A CHANCE TO BECOME ONE OF THE DOORS OF EUROPE?

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS IN SOUTH-EAST EUROPE: THE WAY AHEAD

"STRENGTHENING SECURITY AND RESILIENCE IN THE BLACK SEA REGION"

Latest

Publications

WE DON'T NEED TEN ANTI-DRON SYSTEMS, BUT A SINGLE SYSTEM TO COMBAT HYBRID ATTACKS

Events

Working meeting between representatives of the Sofia Security Forum and the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen

Media

Interview for DARIK Radio

On Focus

ARMENIA AND NATO: A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH SECURITY IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ENTIRE SOUTH CAUCASUS AND BEYOND

The need for a new National Security Strategy, the Russian threat and the role of the services

TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS

CRITICAL OFFSHORE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE VERSUS HYBRID THREATS. HOW CAN WE IMPROVE RESILIENCE