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President Iohannis: We will continue our efforts to consolidate NATO structures on Romania's territory
President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that Romania's security has been strengthened and that efforts to consolidate NATO structures on Romanian territory will continue.
"We have strengthened Romania's security and we will continue our efforts to consolidate NATO structures on Romania's territory, especially the NATO battle group established in Cincu in 2022, which is an important component of the extensive and constant process of strengthening the Allied deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern Flank and in the Black Sea region in the long term," the president said at the celebrations organised on the occasion of the Romanian Navy Day, on the esplanade in front of the Fleet Command in Constanta Port.
He said the war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation in Ukraine poses "significant risks" to security in the Black Sea.
"We are in the vicinity of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and the recent escalations, including the attack on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure on the Danube, near our country's territorial waters too, pose significant security risks in the Black Sea," the head of state said.
President Iohannis argued that this context underlines the challenges facing Europe but also Romania's relevance as a pillar of regional stability.
"The strategic importance of the Black Sea region for the security of the Euro-Atlantic area is today indisputable, as was also underlined at the recent NATO Summit in Vilnius," he added.
The Romanian president stressed that Romania is an "important centre of gravity of NATO's strengthened deterrence and defence posture, and the presence and activity of 5,000 allied military personnel in our country fully demonstrates our unity, solidarity and unwavering commitment, as allies, to the provisions of the North Atlantic Treaty, including in terms of collective defence".
He pointed out that the Romanian and allied militaries are training and strengthening their capacity for fully compatible joint military action in the Black Sea.
"We are thus demonstrating that we are determined to supporting and defending each other within NATO," the head of state added, thanking the military from the US, France, Poland, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, North Macedonia and Luxembourg for their presence in our country.
He pointed out that Romania, as a member of NATO, currently enjoys the most solid security guarantees, from our country's dual position as a beneficiary and, at the same time, an important contributor to improving regional and Euro-Atlantic security.
The head of state reiterated that, together with its other NATO allies, Romania will continue to support Ukraine, as long as necessary, in its fight for peace and freedom.
"We will offer - as we have done so far - multidimensional political and practical support to Kyiv, both bilaterally and by contributing to NATO projects dedicated to Ukraine. We will participate in the training of Ukrainian military within the framework of the European Union military assistance mission and we will host the future regional training hub for F-16 pilots, a centre that will equally serve Romanian, allied and Ukrainian pilots. In parallel, we will continue to coordinate within the European Union to effectively manage the multiple consequences of the war in Ukraine. We will maintain our support for Kyiv's European course and advocate for substantial European assistance to Ukraine on all levels," Iohannis added.
President Iohannis also deemed as heartwarming the presence of so many people at the ceremonies occasioned by he Romanian Navy Day.
"August 15 has become (...) an occasion to remember the symbols of our nation, which inspire us to be closer to each other and to understand, once again, how strong we can be together to build a better future," was the message of the head of state.
He told the sailors attending the ceremonies that they have the admiration and gratitude of all for the devotion and dignity with which they carry Romania's flag on the seas and oceans of the world.
"Dear sailors, you are the expression of professionalism and dedication in a difficult but essential military career for the defence of our country. The Romanian Naval Forces contribute significantly to improving regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security. The missions carried out together with our allies and partners in NATO and the European Union to make our territorial and world waters safer are ample proof of this," Iohannis said.
The head of state also paid tribute to those who dedicated their lives and made the supreme sacrifice under the national flag.
President Klaus Iohannis came to Constanta accompanied by his wife, Carmen Iohannis.