Interview: Natalie Sabanadze tells Sara Seth about Putin’s efforts to dominate the sea’s trade and energy routes, and why Europe needs Turkey’s support to stop him.
The World Today
Published 15 September 2025
Updated 17 September 2025 — 2 minute READ
Image — A French marine observes a Romanian Navy frigate during a military exercise in the Black Sea in March 2023. Since 2022, Russia has tried to control more of the sea’s critical coastline. Photo: Daniel Mihailescu /AFP via Getty Images.
Your research paper is called ‘Understanding Russia’s Black Sea Strategy’. Why is the Black Sea important to Moscow?
The Black Sea is where Russia’s domestic priorities meet its external ambitions. Putin has a vision of Russia as a ‘civilization state’, which requires territorial expansion. This is a critical part of Russia’s post-Soviet, neo-imperial identity. It also has national security interests to limit NATO expansion and push back on western influence in the region.
