Joint press statements by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, according to a press release from Romanian Government sent to NINE O’CLOCK on Monday.
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Mark Rutte: Prime Minister Ciolacu, dear Marcel,
It is great to welcome you here at NATO Headquarters.
For more than two decades now, Romania has been a faithful and committed Ally to the Alliance. You invest more than 2% – I believe it is now getting towards 2,5% – of your GDP on defense. You host one of NATO’s multinational battlegroups. And in addition, your soldiers make a vital contribution to NATO missions particularly in Kosovo but also in Iraq and other places.
So, Romania is not only strengthening security on NATO’s Eastern Flank but also far beyond.
Today, we discussed the importance of providing continuous support to Ukraine. Romania has been a firm friend of Ukraine, providing much-needed military aid, including a Patriot system that supports critical air defence. You have also signed a 10-year security agreement with Ukraine, underlying the steadfast nature of your support.
At NATO, we are working at pace to deliver on the commitments made at the Washington Summit.
And support for Ukraine is as important as ever. Not least as we see the dangerous expansion of the war, with North Korean troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine. This comes on top of the supply of ammunition that North Korea provides, the drones from Iran, and the dual-use goods supplied by China. All of this fuels Russia’s war machine.
We see how this war illustrates how our security is truly global.
In addition, Russia’s war has underscored a need for robust air defences and these remain a priority. So today, we also spoke about ways in which Allies are working together to keep Romania’s airspace safe. Repeated incursions of Russian drones and missiles into NATO airspace are reckless, are dangerous, and are unacceptable. NATO has already reinforced its air defences on its Eastern Flank. And Allies as we speak, are acquiring hundreds of fifth generation fighter jets.
I can tell you, Prime Minister, NATO takes security in the Black Sea region very seriously. We stand ready to provide and to protect and defend every Ally. Again, Marcel, thank you very much for visiting.
Marcel Ciolacu: Today, I had an excellent meeting with the NATO secretary–general, Mr Mark Rutte. During his first meeting with a Romanian official, I assured the secretary–general of the full support of the Government I am leading and mine personally during his term.
I could feel Mr. Rutte’s solidarity from the first moments of his tenure when he gave a firm statement of support for Romania in the context of the October incident with Russian drones. And I thank him for this!
Romania and the Romanian people have a deep attachment to Euro-Atlantic values. NATO and the transatlantic relationship, the United States, and the European Union are the pillars on which we build our security and defense.
For 20 years, Romanian society has developed and prospered behind the NATO shield, which provides Romania with the most solid security guarantees in its history. That is why we are ready to contribute to strengthening the Alliance and maintaining as solid a transatlantic relationship as possible.
It is all the more important to do so given that we are facing an extremely complicated security context.
The Russian Federation has chosen to become the biggest threat to NATO. Russia has brought the war back to Europe, right in the vicinity of Romania’s borders, and this has increased the level of concern among our citizens.
That is why we are here, at the NATO headquarters, shoulder to shoulder, to convey a strong message that Romania is safe and stable.
Romania is part of NATO, the Alliance has a consistent presence in Romania. This is the guarantee that every centimeter of our territory is fully defended.
I fully share Mr. Rutte’s view that no country can respond to security threats alone. That we are stronger together is a reality, not just a slogan.
Precisely for this reason, I conveyed to the Secretary-General, Romania’s gratitude to the Allies who support us concretely, and to NATO, which adopted measures dedicated to Romania regarding land and air defense.
There is already a consistent Allied military presence in Romania, but we called on the Secretary-General to support this presence supplementation and enhancement, and the strengthening of NATO’s posture on the Eastern Flank, at the Black Sea. Such an approach is indispensable for the credible deterrence of Russian threats.
Moreover, the violations of Allied airspace and Russia’s aggressive posture at the Black Sea show how important it is to increase forces in the area and provide a solid and unitary Allied response.
In this context, I conveyed to Mr. Secretary-General that Romania understands and observes its commitments and stands in solidarity with our Allies and partners. We have already allocated 2.5% of GDP to defense this year and will continue to prioritize defense investments in the coming period.
I also informed him that this week we will sign the letter of acceptance with the American side for the program to purchase 32 advanced F-35 fighter jets.
We will continue to invest significant sums in the modernization of the Army because we want Romania to prove through concrete facts that it is a reliable Ally and a security provider in the region and beyond.
Mr. Secretary-General,
Russia’s war against Ukraine is a tragedy unfolding in the vicinity of our borders. Romania unreservedly supported Ukraine’s legitimate fight against Russian aggression and for the defense of its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
We will continue to provide multidimensional support to Ukraine. The donation of the Patriot system and the training of Ukrainian pilots in Romania, alongside Romanian and Allied pilots on F-16 aircraft, are just a few elements that demonstrate the extent of our assistance.
But at the same time, we must pay attention to the Republic of Moldova, which is our partner most affected by the war, after Ukraine.
We recently witnessed the attempt to hijack the European course of the Republic of Moldova. We are duty-bound to support Chisinau and we want to be able to contribute together to this effort.
In conclusion, Romania is a safe country, with security guaranteed by NATO, which can develop economically and socially.
In the face of all threats, NATO has become stronger and more extensive, and I believe it is our duty to all contribute to strengthening the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security.
Thank you again, Mr. Secretary-General, for all the support. I assure you that Romania will remain NATO and your reliable ally for the challenging tenure ahead.
Source: gov.ro and Photo Gallery: Guvernul României fcebook page
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