The activation of Article 4 of the NATO treaty must be tied to specific security measures. This was stated by former defense minister Angel Naydenov in the program “The Day Live“. He defined the strikes on merchant ships in the western Black Sea as deliberate actions, the purpose of which, according to him, is to interrupt the routes to Ukrainian ports and limit Ukrainian exports.
“Successive strikes on merchant ships in the western Black Sea, which focus everyone's attention on routes that are usually used by and for Ukraine. These are deliberate strikes, the aim of which is obviously to block the routes to Ukrainian ports and thus block mainly Ukrainian exports, but of course, imports as well“, said Naydenov.
According to him, the continuation of the attacks could lead to the increasingly widespread use of ships from the so-called “gray zone“ - old and poorly maintained vessels, which often do not have the necessary insurance coverage.
“These strikes are already practically turning the crews of the ships into defenseless hostages of the attacks, because if a person on land has some possibility, albeit a small chance, of surviving by using shelters, where can the sailors hide during direct strikes by sea and air drones?“, asked Naydenov.
On the question of who is behind the attacks, Naydenov said that he has reasons to suspect Russia, but noted that such a conclusion requires categorical evidence. “If you ask me who is behind the attacks, especially in this part of the Black Sea, I have no hesitation in saying Russia. I have said it several times. However, even Romania today refrains from saying that the drones come from Russia“, he said.
According to him, the main effect of such actions would be economic pressure on Ukraine by limiting export revenues. He also defined the attacks as a means of putting pressure on coastal states and demonstrating weaknesses in the defense of the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union. However, Naydenov stressed that when state leaders point to an alleged perpetrator of an attack, they must have sufficient evidence, including material data and satellite information.
Naydenov also commented on the possibility of triggering Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. According to him, there is a mindset for such a step, but it is important to clarify in advance what actions could follow “In order for Article 4 to be triggered, there must be some orientation as to what will be taken. This is the big question. Article 4 can be limited only within the framework of consultations, only within the framework of an assessment of the situation“, he explained.
Naydenov noted that the topic of security in the Black Sea region has already been raised at various levels, including within the framework of the European Council. According to him, the key question is not only whether consultations will be held, but whether the allies will agree on specific actions to protect shipping.