Defence Minister’s meeting with the US Secretary of Defense

On Tuesday, September 19, Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvãr, had a meeting with the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, and with General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), as part of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group Meeting held in Ramstein. The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, also attended the meeting.

The meeting agenda included discussions regarding the Black Sea security and the impact of the Russian Federation's war of aggression waged in Ukraine on the Euro-Atlantic security, as well as important aspects related to the Romanian-American defence cooperation.

In this context, Minister Tîlvãr thanked the American Secretary of Defense for the decision to deploy US F-16 aircraft to Romania in order to augment NATO's Air Policing Missions. Also, the Romanian official mentioned Romania's efforts regarding the grain transit from Ukraine, especially in the context in which the US Secretary of Defense mentioned, in the opening of UDCG Meeting, that Russia destroyed, over the last months, at least 280,000 tons of Ukrainian grain, enough to feed 10.5 million people for a year.

"The strategic decisions taken by Romania over the last 33 years include, in addition to joining NATO and the EU also building a Strategic Partnership with the United States of America, with an extremely solid component in terms of security and defence. Today, when war returned to Europe, this partnership is vital to our national security. I express my special appreciation for the presence of American troops on Romanian territory, which complements our national capabilities, and I assure you of our full openness regarding the consolidation of this bilateral cooperation", the Minister of Defence conveyed in the discussion with his American counterpart.

The two high-ranking officials also addressed the security situation at Romania's border with Ukraine. Minister Tîlvãr stated that the Romanian authorities are concerned with the intensification of the Russian Federation's attacks against the civilian and port infrastructure from the vicinity of the Romanian border, which also poses risks to the Romanian citizens who live near these sites, and measures are being implemented to minimize the potential effects of Russia's attacks against the Ukrainian Danube ports.

The Romanian official emphasized Romania's commitment to the constant support of Ukraine and expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the American authorities in order to establish and render operational the F-16 Pilot Training Center, stating that through this effort, Romania will consolidate its role as security provider in the Black Sea region.

During the meeting with General Christopher Cavoli, the officials reviewed the measures taken at NATO level in order to increase enhanced Vigilance Activities, such as the intensification of activities specific to monitoring and awareness of the security situation, the augmentation of the Allied forces on national territory and the joint training with Allied and partner forces. In this context, the Romanian official presented the measures adopted at national level to increase security at the border with Ukraine, considering the recent events occurred near the Romanian frontier.

The Press Office