NATO Members Seek to Reach Deal on Black Sea Mine-Sweeping Force

NATO members Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria are nearing an agreement to create a joint force to clear mines drifting into their parts of the Black Sea as part of the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Deputy defense ministers from the three nations are set to meet in Ankara on Wednesday to try to finalize the details of the unit to clear the sea mines, according to three people familiar with the matter, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t public. It’s unclear whether a final accord will also be signed after the two-day meeting, one of the people said.