Historically, France’s policies in the Black Sea region were more of a side effect of its EU enlargement, Russia, or Middle East policies. Its engagement was more ad hoc than calculated. But, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Paris changed its approach drastically. It is now active multilaterally through the EU, NATO, and the UN, and bilaterally with Black Sea countries, backing their energy diversification away from Russia and investing in Moldova and Ukraine, among other things.
France leads NATO’s Cincu-based multinational battle group (Mission Aigle) in Romania, with a contingent that was increased from 1,500 to 4,000 soldiers earlier this year. Paris has also deployed a MAMBA air-defense battery to the country’s Black Sea coast, contributing to the policing of its airspace.
France has committed almost $6 billion’s worth of military aid to Ukraine, including in high-tech equipment and the training of personnel. It has also expanded its defense cooperation with Moldova. In 2024, the two countries signed an accord covering training, intelligence-sharing, logistics support, and better governance of defense spending.
Defense-industrial cooperation with EU members in the region is another element of France’s engagement. Romania’s decision in 2023 to approve the €2 billion purchase of two Scorpene-class submarines from Naval Group is one example. This built on existing links with French giants Thales and Airbus, which have had an established presence in Romania for many years.
However, France’s efforts are limited by restricted naval access to the Black Sea, since Türkiye has imposed wartime restrictions on vessels of non-littoral countries going through the Turkish Straits, as it is allowed to do under the Montreux Convention. Because of this, Paris is attempting to keep its relationship with Ankara pragmatic. It focuses on shared interests such as ensuring free navigation in the Black Sea while avoiding more controversial topics where the two countries have disagreements, such as Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean.
France sees its support for Ukraine and Moldova as an investment in regional stability.
France sees its support for Ukraine and Moldova as an investment in regional stability. It has provided Ukraine with more than €2 billion in direct budgetary aid, and it has also offered €1.2 billion in guarantees through export-credit insurance. Earlier this year, the two countries announced a new joint reconstruction fund, and the French Development Agency opened an office in Kyiv to oversee projects. Paris has tried to involve French companies in reconstruction as well. It has also been a key sponsor of the Moldova Support Platform, a diplomatic initiative launched with Germany and Romania to coordinate international aid for Moldova and governance reforms.
