On Tuesday, March 13th, during the B9 Meeting in defence ministers' format, Mihai Fifor had a meeting with NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, Heinrich Brauss.

The two officials discussed current topics listed on NATO's agenda, with focus on allied defence and deterrence posture, NATO's Command Structure Reform and stability projection as part of the preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit from Brussels. Heinrich Brauss' attendance of the B9 Meeting these days alongside the SHAPE Representative, the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe/DSACEUR, Sir James Everard, stands for a solid proof of the North-Atlantic commitment in consolidating the allied Eastern flank.

Defence minister Fifor expressed his appreciation for the support offered in the implementation of the measures related to the forward presence dedicated to the Southern segment of the allied Eastern flank, pointing out the national efforts taken in this respect. The two officials also talked about the adaptation of NATO's Command Structure, whose organizational chart was approved at the Defence Ministers Meeting, Brussels, over 14-15 February 2018.

Minister Fifor and Heinrich Brauss also had an exchange of views on the expectations from the upcoming NATO Summit from July, a meeting of great symbolic importance, taking into account that it is set to take place in the new headquarters of the Alliance. The Summit will offer the participants the opportunity to evaluate the progress made in the implementation of the decisions adopted during the highest level reunions from Wales (2014), Warsaw (2016) and Brussels (2017) as well as to take several major impact measures regarding NATO's long-term adaptation, in response to the complex challenges posed to the security environment.

The Press Office