Romania is keeping its firm commitment to strengthening the security and resilience of the Euro-Atlantic community, promoting stability, deterrence and strategic cooperation in the Black Sea region, President Nicusor Dan said in a message addressed on Wednesday to the participants of the 20th edition of Black Sea Defence and Aerospace (BSDA), read out by Sorin Cirstea, secretary of the Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT).

“Romania is keeping its firm commitment to strengthening the security and resilience of the Euro-Atlantic community, while promoting stability, deterrence and strategic cooperation in the Black Sea region. Over the years, BSDA has evolved into one of the most important defence and security platforms in Central and Eastern Europe, bringing together governments, armed forces, strategic partners, technological leaders and innovators from across the Euro-Atlantic community and beyond,” reads the message from the President of Romania.

According to the head of state, the Black Sea region has become a strategic centre of gravity for European security, resilience and connectivity.

“The challenges we face today are multidimensional and more closely intertwined than ever, from conventional military threats to cyberattacks, critical infrastructure protection, space security, hybrid warfare, and the rapid evolution of autonomous and AI-based systems. In such environment, defence is no longer just about military capability. It is about strategic adaptability, technological superiority, industrial resilience and reliable partnerships.”

The President said that, in the current context, international meetings such as BSDA matter.

“They create the framework for operational requirements, respond to industrial innovation, where governments interact directly with industry, where the interoperability of allies is strengthened and where strategic cooperation is transformed into concrete capability development. Romania’s growing role on NATO’s eastern flank and in the extended Black Sea region further strengthens the importance of this event.”

He added that the continuous modernisation of defence capabilities, strengthening the regional security architecture and expanding industrial cooperation demonstrate a clear commitment to collective defence and long-term strategic stability.

“In this accelerated context, we must force ourselves to think in a creative and unconstrained way in order to have an advantage through our future capabilities. Emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, integrated air and missile defence, cyber resilience, advanced detection, secure communication, and space capabilities are reshaping the future of combat space faster than ever before. No nation and no institution can tackle these challenges alone. Success will depend on deeper cooperation among NATO governments, the armed forces, research institutions, and the defence industrial base. It will depend on our ability to speed up innovation, secure supply chains, increase interoperability and invest in the next generation of strategic capabilities,” the head of state also said in his message.

Black Sea Defence and Aerospace – BSDA, the main event in the Black Sea region dedicated to the defence and security industry, takes place in Bucharest, between May 13-15, on the ROMAERO Baneasa platform.

According to organisers, the 10th edition, which marks 20 years since its debut, is also the largest organised so far, with over 550 exhibiting companies from 36 countries. Along with global industry leaders, more than 30,000 visitors and over 350 high-level Romanian and foreign officials are expected for the three-day event.

Along with the equipment and technologies proposed by the companies, the event also hosts an exhibition of hardware from the Romanian Army, including the Special Operations Forces, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the United States Army, as well as a series of thematic conferences, dedicated to the five military operational areas.

Black Sea Defence and Aerospace (BSDA) is organised by TNT Productions Romania in partnership with Romania’s Defence, Interior, Economy, Foreign Affairs and Justice ministries, as well as the intelligence and special telecommunications services, with support from the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.