President Iliana Iotova spoke by phone this afternoon with the president of Romania. The next EU summit should add a special item on the Black Sea alone, and Bulgaria and Romania will put the request forward together, Iotova told reporters in Burgas.

This follows our earlier report on joint EU action for Black Sea security, which foreign minister Velislava Petrova asked for in Luxembourg.

The move comes after events in recent days, and earlier, in Turkey's exclusive economic zone. Iotova said Bulgaria and Romania want all fighting and the use of drones in the Black Sea to stop. France formally asked for the same today. Talks are also under way with the Turkish authorities.

The foreign ministries of the two countries are drafting one joint text in two parts. The first sets out the facts as they are. The second covers the threats to shipping and EU help with monitoring and investigation.

Iotova believes the dangers in the Black Sea are growing. She said the best step would be a security meeting with all Black Sea states, including those at war.

"There is no way to settle security in the Black Sea without the two countries taking part. That is as clear as day," the president said.

Iotova also visited the Border Coordination Centre in Burgas today. She proposed adding representatives of local authorities, the regional governor, all local branches of state agencies and the ministries, so that coordination during an incident is fuller and faster.

The president told journalists: "We are winning more and more allies. My forecast is that there will be a joint EU decision."