Recent drone strikes on merchant vessels in the Black Sea near Romanian and Bulgarian waters have prompted bilateral talks and trilateral coordination with Turkey on maritime security, yet neither country has formally requested Article 4 consultations. Romania and Bulgaria instead agreed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to pursue a North Atlantic Council meeting on regional threats without triggering the mechanism, following the pattern of no invocations since Poland’s September 2025 response to airspace violations. NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander outlined alliance response planning amid ongoing hybrid activity, while Bulgaria’s president has signaled openness to a joint request if incidents persist. A scheduled NAC discussion on Black Sea security in the coming days could clarify whether further provocations shift member states toward formal consultations.