On Friday, May 19, State Secretary for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations participated in the seventh edition of the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum, an event organized in Bucharest by the New Strategy Center think-tank and the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine. The Romanian official participated in the panel entitled Transatlantic Cooperation and the Challenges Posed by Russia's War in Ukraine. Stronger Together!

In his speech, the Romanian official emphasized the importance of the trans-Atlantic relationship, especially in the context of the Russian Federation's aggression war in Ukraine, which entered its 450th day today. "We have to say it very clearly. In these extremely troubled times for the European security architecture and beyond, what is happening now in Ukraine is essential for the security of the Allies on both sides of the Atlantic, as Europe and the United States of America, these states being interconnected in terms of security. Our role is to continue maintaining unity and cohesion and to strengthen this bond," the State Secretary said.

In this context, the State Secretary emphasized the unprecedented mobilization at the level of the European Union, as well as the measures and efforts undertaken at Allied level for the consolidation of the deterrence and defence posture in an overall and coherent manner on the entire Eastern flank. At the same time, she pointed out the need to continue coordinating efforts in order to strengthen the resilience of the Allied states, as well as of those vulnerable to the threats posed by the Russian Federation.

"Trans-Atlantic unity has proven its effectiveness since the first day of this brutal war. The international support provided to Ukraine, at all dimensions, has prevented the Russian Federation from achieving its military objectives. This conflict affects the entire Black Sea region and has implications beyond it. That's why Romania continues to plead for the necessity of paying due attention to this region, both from the NATO perspective and the solid and strong relationship with the USA", the MoND official pointed out.

As part of the conference, the state secretary had a bilateral meeting with the General Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, Jonatan Vseviov.

The talks between the two officials focused on current issues listed on the Allied agenda, in view of the upcoming Vilnius NATO Summit, such as the importance of the implementation and enforcement of the Allied decisions aimed at consolidating defence and deterrence on the Eastern flank. At the same time, issues listed on the EU agenda were addressed, with emphasis on the initiatives carried out under the aegis of the Common Security and Defense Policy/ CSDP.

The Press Office