The impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the Black Sea Economic Cooperation: adapting economic cooperation to security challenges

The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) fosters economic cooperation among member states to ensure security, which is crucial given ongoing conflicts in the Black Sea Region, such as the Russia-Ukraine war. This study examines the war’s impact on the BSEC’s functionality, emphasizing that economic cooperation cannot be separated from broader security concerns. Based on an analysis of the BSEC documents and selected case studies, it explores the institutional and policy strategies the BSEC has adopted in response. The findings suggest that the BSEC has developed a project-driven and technical political dialogue platform aimed at facilitating cross-sectoral cooperation in support of regional peace and security. Through this engagement, it seeks to maintain its economy-oriented character while adapting to emerging security challenges. However, limited institutional capacity, the absence of a formal security mandate, and weak enforcement mechanisms constrain the effectiveness of these efforts.