Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania sign a deal to tackle Black Sea mines

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania have signed an agreement to jointly tackle drifting sea mines that have threatened Black Sea shipping since the start of the Ukraine war. Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said Thursday the agreement establishes a Mine Countermeasures Task Group among the three NATO allies to deal with the mines. The deal comes after Ankara refused entry to the Black Sea for two minesweeping vessels donated to Ukraine by Britain. Moscow and Kyiv have blamed each other for stray mines that have washed up near the Black Sea coast. The initiative aims to make shipping safer, including for vessels transporting grain from Ukraine.