Russia is facing global criticism for its recent attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube river and the decision to pull out of a July 2022 UN-brokered deal that enabled Ukrainian grain to be exported through the Black Sea. Immediately following the pullout, Russian authorities warned that any vessel traveling to Ukraine would be considered an enemy combatant. On this episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with Thea Dunlevie, senior analyst at the Center for Maritime Strategy, to discuss why we must continue paying attention to Black Sea security. Should we expect to see more Russian attacks on Ukrainian and ally maritime infrastructure? Does NATO have a deterrence strategy? What might be the global implications of failing to properly secure the Black Sea?

Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front's bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on Twitter here. "Anticipating the Next Black Sea Shipping Crisis" by Thea Dunlevie.