Opinion | US-Russia dialogue must prevail in stormy Black Sea after drone crash

Given the dangerous prospect of a US-Russian military conflict that could spark a global escalation, efforts must move towards diplomacy and dialogue

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Anatoly Antonov, Russian ambassador to the US, speaks with reporters after meeting assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried at the US State Department in Washington on March 14, the day of the drone crash. Photo: AP

Published: 3:30am, 25 Mar 2023Updated: 5:02am, 25 Mar 2023

Worryingly, the US seems unconcerned about triggering a potential conflict with Russia in the Black Sea. On March 14, its MQ-9 Reaper drone crashed into the sea after an encounter with two Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft. As tensions rose and despite Russian complaints, the US quickly resumed its intelligence mission over the sea with another drone, the RQ-4 Global Hawk.

The US also said that one of the SU-27s had deliberately struck the propeller of the Reaper drone, causing it to crash. Russia denied this, saying the Reaper drone had become unstable after a sharp manoeuvre. It also pointed to the drone’s presence in the area as evidence the US was “directly participating” in the Ukraine war, an accusation the US denies.

For the US, the MQ-9 Reaper is an important part of the drone fleet used for intelligence gathering and surveillance operations, and a symbol of its military’s technological superiority. The loss of such a drone is a blow to the US and raises concerns about the safety of its operations in the region.

The Black Sea is an important commercial and transport corridor, with the nearby Bosphorus Strait and Dardanelles Strait providing direct access to Europe and the Middle East. The sea is also rich in gas and oil reserves, which play an important role in global energy security.

Conflicting interests, particularly with regard to influence and security in the wider region, have led to tensions in the Black Sea between Russia and the US-led transatlantic security alliance. Each side is taking steps to further its influence and protect its interests.

For now, Russia has greater strategic, economic and military interests in the area. Since 2014, when Moscow seized control of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine, tensions have been rising between Russia and Western nations, in particular the US.

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.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Given the dangerous prospect of a US-Russian military conflict that could spark a global escalation, efforts must move towards diplomacy and dialogue

Given the dangerous prospect of a US-Russian military conflict that could spark a global escalation, efforts must move towards diplomacy and dialogue