On Tuesday, September 25th, Defence minister Mihai Fifor participated in a Round Table organized by Heritage Foundation, at Washington D.C. The Round Table brought together Heritage experts, representatives of the US Congress and Administration, as well as famous specialists in the field of international security.

The debates focused on the emerging security challenges in the Black Sea region and ways cooperation between Romania and the USA, as part of the current strategic partnership.

James Dean, Manager of the Foreign Policy Center Douglas and Sarah Allison, Nile Gardiner, Director of the Thatcher Center, Peter Brookes, Senior Fellow on National Security Affairs and Expert on Russian Federation issues, Daniel Kochis, European space analyst, John Venable, Air Force analyst and Alexis Marchek, expert on Ukraine and Russian Federation issues presented various ways of approaching the risks and threats posed to the Black Sea region.

Minister Mihai Fifor thanked for having been invited to participate in the debates organized under the aegis of Heritage Foundation, a think-thank recognized for its involvement in promoting the American democratic principles but also for his complex analyses on current topics.

I pointed out the security challenges posed in the Black Sea region, including from the perspective of its strategic importance for the Allied security, which had already been confirmed by the decisions made at the July NATO Summit. I also emphasized the efforts made by Romania with regard to the consolidation of the NATO's Eastern flank as well as our country's commitment in respecting the equitable share of roles, risks and responsibilities within NATO, minister Fifor stated, at the end of debates.

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Heritage Foundation is the think-tank of conservative orientation, where prestigious international officials such as NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State and Wess Mitchell, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs held their lectures.

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