The U.S.-Romania strategic partnership has by no means been stronger or extra related, Secretary of Protection Lloyd J. Austin III stated as he met with Romanian Protection Minister Angel Tilvar on the Pentagon at this time.
Romania is steadfast NATO ally and one of many frontline states as Russia continues its unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine.
Austin stated Russia’s invasion is a risk to safety within the area. The assault on Ukraine can also be an assault on “the core ideas and shared values that make us all safer,” he stated.
Within the wake of the Russian invasion, Romania stepped ahead to host an elevated presence of U.S. and NATO forces. “I noticed the excellent relationship between our two militaries firsthand after I visited, visited [Mihail Kogalniceanu] air base, and your beneficiant assist has bolstered deterrence alongside NATO’s japanese flank,” the secretary stated. “We’re additionally very grateful to the Romanian individuals for welcoming greater than 3 million Ukrainian refugees and serving to present them with humanitarian help.”
Tilvar stated President Vladimir Putin’s Russia is probably the most important and direct risk to European, Euro-Atlantic and regional safety. “President Putin had hoped to divide us, however he failed,” the protection minister stated. “Our response was agency.”
And it stays agency. Romania has been a part of the Ukraine Protection Contact Group because the starting of that discussion board, and Tilvar complimented Austin on the way in which he has managed the group. The group “is a really environment friendly instrument of coordinating of all our efforts in supporting Ukraine,” the minister stated. “We commend the U.S. steadfast contribution to consolidating the safety in our area and reinforcing the deterrence and protection posture for NATO’s japanese flank, particularly within the Black Sea area.”
Along with the Russian invasion, the 2 males mentioned safety within the Black Sea space and Romania’s on-going protection modernization program. Additionally they mentioned the upcoming NATO summit that will likely be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July.
