Defence Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca met with Commander of the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) Vice Admiral Keith E. Blount, on Thursday, 22nd July, at the MoND Headquarters.

The talks agenda focused on the recent developments of the regional and international security environment, ways of consolidating allied defence and deterrence posture and the forward presence on the Eastern flank, with focus on the maritime field.

The two officials emphasized the importance of the Black Sea for the Alliance, the intense cooperation between the Romanian Naval Forces and the MARCOM over the last few years with a view of integrating the national exercises with the North-Atlantic Alliance ones and increasing the involvement of the allied forces in the region. In this context, minister Ciuca stated that the presence of the NATO ships in the Black Sea demonstrate the cohesion of the members of the Alliance, this leading to an increased level of training and interoperability.

At the same time, Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca restated the national decision of providing the budget resources necessary to consolidate the defence capabilities. This is an important step in achieving the goals established for protecting the national defence interests, including the national safety and security ones, but also for developing the national economy, great part of the budget effort being integrated into the domestic industry, the minister concluded.

Vice Admiral Keith E. Blount also had meetings with State Secretary for Defence Plicy, Planning and International Relations, Simona Cojocaru, and with the chief of Defence Staff , Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu.

The Press Office