Liberals are back in Strasbourg for the second October plenary session, with European security high on the agenda. From Russian drone strikes in the Black Sea to growing tensions in the Arctic, the pressure on Europe is mounting. The question is whether Europe is ready to respond.
Securing the Black Sea:
Six attacks in 10 days on ships in the Black Sea have marked a dangerous escalation, with commercial vessels struck near Bulgaria and Romania. Russian jets and unmanned aerial vehicles have also repeatedly violated the airspace of EU member states in recent months.
On Thursday, MEPs will vote on a resolution addressing Russia’s escalating strikes and the threat they pose to human life, regional stability and food security. During the plenary debate, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas put it bluntly: “The only one who doesn’t want peace is Russia.”
For ALDE Party Vice-President Dan Barna MEP (USR, RO), the response must go beyond words. He has called on the European Commission to release funding for the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, a joint Romanian-Bulgarian initiative that would protect shipping and monitor critical maritime infrastructure.
The hub would also strengthen crisis management and environmental security, helping the region withstand Russian hybrid attacks. These are not isolated threats as attacks on commercial vessels endanger civilian crews and disrupt vital trade routes. Europe cannot afford to wait for the next escalation.
The Arctic Front:
The same urgency is needed further north. Three EU Member States have territory in the region, home to more than 500,000 EU citizens. Russia is expanding its military presence and using hybrid tactics that threaten critical infrastructure, including undersea cables, while China strengthens its ties with Moscow.
The European Commission's new Arctic Strategy, presented this week alongside Kallas, builds on calls by Urmas Paet MEP (Eesti Reformierakond, EE), rapporteur on the EU Arctic report, who has pushed for a stronger EU role in the region.
His proposals include dedicated funding for icebreakers, shipping and infrastructure, alongside closer cooperation with like-minded partners. Crucially, the Arctic’s future must also respect the sovereignty of its people, including the Sámi and Kalaallit indigenous peoples. Paet discussed this further in Strasbourg:
“As military, hybrid, and commercial activities intensify in the Arctic, the EU and its Member States must strengthen their capacity to operate effectively in the region - in cooperation with NATO - and invest in shared situational awareness, vigilance, preparedness, and response capabilities."
The Black Sea and the Arctic both expose the same problem; Europe cannot wait for threats to continue escalating. Russia’s aggression, China’s growing involvement in Moscow and the US offering precarious signals on Greenland all point to a geopolitical climate in which old assumptions no longer hold.
Liberals are pushing for Europe to respond with practical plans and solid partnerships that do more than acknowledge a changing world - they ensure Europe is ready for it.