Von der Leyen accuses Moscow of wanting to spread fear in the EU

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned Russia for instilling fear in the EU through attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea. She emphasized the need for a strong European response and announced funding for maritime security initiatives. Von der Leyen highlighted the disruption to maritime transport and rising insurance costs due to these attacks. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev expressed gratitude for EU support in proposing a moratorium on attacks against civilian vessels, stressing that sailors should not be part of the conflict. He called for concrete evidence regarding the perpetrators of these incidents.