United States, European Union, and Romania issue joint statement denouncing assaults on undersea communications cables
Romania Joins International Efforts to Protect Submarine Cables
The protection of critical submarine infrastructure, which transports approximately 95% of global data traffic and spans approximately 1.4 million kilometers worldwide, has become an international priority. In response to concerns about sabotage incidents, cyberattacks, and hybrid campaigns targeting these vital networks, Romania has endorsed the Joint Declaration on the Security and Resilience of Submarine Cables.
The Joint Declaration focuses on concrete actions to enhance protection of submarine cables against sabotage, cyberattacks, and hybrid threats through allied cooperation, intelligence sharing, and coordinated responses. Romania joined the U.S. and EU in this declaration to strengthen security measures against these evolving threats to critical undersea infrastructure.
Romania's contributions to submarine cable protection include participating in allied efforts to safeguard submarine cables, especially in the Black Sea region, which is strategically important for energy and communications connectivity. The country also supports the development and security of the Black Sea Energy submarine cable project linking Georgia to Romania. This project involves a 1,100 km high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine cable with a capacity of 1,000-1,500 MW, crucial for energy resilience in Europe.
In addition, Romania plans to enhance naval capabilities, such as acquiring Turkish warships to protect offshore gas infrastructure and submarine cables in the Black Sea, countering potential covert threats including Russia's "shadow fleet."
The strategic location of Romania and the potential threats from Russia’s "shadow fleet" make the protection of submarine cables in the Black Sea region a priority. Russia has been implicated in covert operations including sabotage of submarine cables in nearby regions, which signals a new level of hybrid maritime threat. Romania's naval upgrades aim to deter and monitor such hostile activities, ensuring the security of undersea infrastructure vital to Europe’s energy and communications networks.
In summary, the Joint Declaration calls for enhanced security cooperation among allied nations to protect submarine cables against sabotage, cyber, and hybrid threats. Romania contributes by backing the declaration, securing critical cables in the Black Sea, investing in naval assets for protection, and supporting cross-regional energy connectivity projects via HVDC submarine cables from Georgia. This collective approach addresses risks from Russian covert maritime tactics to safeguard European strategic interests under the sea. Romania will continue to contribute to strengthening the protection of submarine infrastructure in the Black Sea region. Recent incidents have exposed the vulnerabilities of such structures to potential physical and hybrid attacks, and the statement aims to align concrete actions for the protection of these vital infrastructures.
- Given the critical importance of submarine cables, particularly in the Black Sea region, Romania's participation in war-and-conflicts discussions related to the security of these underwater networks becomes essential, considering the potential threats from Russia’s "shadow fleet."
- The Joint Declaration on the Security and Resilience of Submarine Cables, which Romania has endorsed, is a testament to the nation's concern with general-news issues like the protection of vital international infrastructure, as well as its commitment to politics that prioritize strategic alliances, intelligence sharing, and coordinated responses to evolving threats.
