The Black Sea challenges and the American strategic vision in the region

Abstract

This article discusses the main provisions of the Black Sea Security Act of 2023 (BSSA), as well as how the document specifically addresses the complex issues raised by the Black Sea region. It is constructed around the following question: to what extent does the BSSA succeed in identifying and responding to the security challenges in the Black Sea region? In order to achieve this, the author first outlines a map of the problems, actors, and interests in the area. Then, in a second step, the author analyses the BSSA, observing how it proposes to address the crises in the region and the problems identified with the mapping exercise above. The conclusions allow then for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the BSSA within the context of the challenges in the Black Sea region, in connection with particularities of the US foreign policy making.