Security and energy security in the Black Sea Region

This briefing note examines security and energy security issues around the Black Sea from a regional perspective and assesses the potential of Black Sea cooperation to increase security in the region. It identifies several drivers for change in the Black Sea security environment, including the radical change in relations between Russia and Ukraine under Viktor Yanukovych’s presidency, the new Turkish foreign policy, a more active phase in all of the formerly-dubbed ‘frozen’ conflicts, a renewed focus on naval balance and maritime security and the race for control over the south-eastern route of gas supply into Europe.