(I) Strengthening rule-of-law and anti-cor-
ruption efforts. 
(J) Addressing the PRC’s coercive eco-
nomic actions. 
(4) An assessment of NATO engagement in the 
region and policy options to address the changed re-
gional security environment, including NATO’s pres-
ence in the region and an outline of NATO’s 
planned and recent military exercises in the region, 
in particular those under Headquarters Multi-
national Division Southeast (in Romania) and the 
four new battle groups in Romania, Bulgaria, Hun-
gary, and Slovakia. 
SEC. 5. UNITED STATES POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States to— 
(1) actively deter the threat of further Russian 
escalation in the Black Sea region and defend free-
dom of navigation in the Black Sea to prevent the 
spread of further armed conflict in Europe; 
(2) advocate within NATO, among NATO al-
lies, and within the European Union to develop a 
long-term coordinated strategy to enhance security, 
establish a permanent, sustainable presence in the 
eastern flank, and bolster the democratic resilience 
of United States allies and partners in the region; 
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(3) support and bolster the economic ties be-
tween the United States and Black Sea partners, 
and mobilize the United States International Devel-
opment Finance Corporation, the Export-Import 
Bank, the Trade and Development Agency, the De-
partment of State, the United States Agency for 
International Development, the Department of Agri-
culture, and the Department of Commerce to in-
crease United States presence and investment in 
Black Sea countries; 
(4) provide economic alternatives to the PRC’s 
coercive economic options that destabilize and fur-
ther erode economic integration of the Black Sea lit-
toral states; 
(5) ensure that the United States continues to 
support Black Sea countries to strengthen their 
democratic institutions to prevent corruption and ac-
celerate their advancement into the Euroatlantic 
community; and 
(6) encourage the initiative undertaken by cen-
tral and eastern European states to advance the 
Three Seas Initiative to strengthen transport, en-
ergy, and digital infrastructure connectivity in the 
region between the Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, and 
Black Sea. 
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SEC. 6. BLACK SEA SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT STRAT-
EGY. 
(a) BLACK
SEA
DEVELOPMENT
AND
SECURITY 
STRATEGY.—No later than 360 days after the enactment 
of this Act, drawing from the policy options developed in 
the report in section 4, the National Security Council, in 
coordination with the Department of State, the Depart-
ment of Defense, the United States International Develop-
ment Finance Corporation, the United States Agency for 
International Development, the United States Export-Im-
port Bank, the Trade and Development Agency the De-
partment of Commerce, the Department of Energy, the 
Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the 
Treasury, shall direct an interagency strategy, based on 
the findings of the report under section 4, to increase mili-
tary assistance and coordination with NATO and the Eu-
ropean Union, deepen economic ties, strengthen economic 
and energy security and enhance security assistance with 
Black Sea countries, and support efforts to bolster their 
democratic resilience. 
(b) PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES.—The initiative es-
tablished under subsection (a) shall have the following 
goals and objectives: 
(1) Ensuring the efficient and effective delivery 
of security assistance to the Black Sea states, 
prioritizing assistance that will bolster defenses 
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against hybrid warfare and improve interoperability 
with NATO forces. 
(2) Bolstering United States support for the re-
gion’s energy security and integration with Europe 
and reducing their dependence on Russia while sup-
porting energy diversification. 
(3) Mitigating the impact of economic coercion 
by the Russian Federation and the PRC on Black 
Sea states and identifying new opportunities for for-
eign direct investment from the United States and 
cooperating countries and the enhancement of 
United States business ties. 
(4) Increasing high-level engagement between 
the United States and the Black Sea states, and re-
inforcing economic growth, financing quality infra-
structure, and reinforcing trade with a focus on im-
proving high-level economic cooperation. 
(5) Increasing coordination with the European 
Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
to maximize effectiveness and minimize duplication. 
(c) ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) SECURITY.—The strategy established under 
subsection (a) shall include the following elements 
related to security: 
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(A) A plan to increase interagency coordi-
nation toward the Black Sea region. 
(B) A strategy for— 
(i) the United States to increase 
NATO’s presence and capabilities in the 
Black Sea region, including land and air 
forces; or 
(ii) a United States-led initiative with 
NATO member countries to increase co-
ordination, presence, and regional engage-
ment among Black Sea countries. 
(C) A strategy to increase military assist-
ance toward Black Sea countries, particularly 
Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia. 
(D) Prioritization of intelligence, surveil-
lance, and reconnaissance systems to monitor 
Russian operations in the Black Sea region, as 
well as upgrading from air policing to air de-
fense missions. 
(E) An assessment of the value of estab-
lishing a joint, multinational three-star head-
quarters on the Black Sea, responsible for plan-
ning, readiness, exercises, and coordination of 
all military activity in the greater Black Sea re-
gion. 
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