Offering an overview of the various frameworks for cooperation in the wider Black Sea, the author explains that Romania aims to bring the EU and the region closer together and argues that Turkey and Romania can play an important role in the future of the region. Touching upon the shared values versus the differing interests between the EU and Russia, the author claims that zero sum games are games of the past. He emphasizes that the EU cannot alone revamp its neighborhood, but also points out that no other state has the ability to play a determinant role in the region on its own terms either.