Defence Minister’s official visit to The Hague

On Thursday, December 12th, Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvăr, paid an official visit to The Hague, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, at the invitation of his counterpart, Ruben Brekelmans.

 

Minister Tîlvăr was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Department for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations, Lieutenant General Mihai Iancu.

 

During the bilateral meeting, the two ministers discussed the enhancement of defence cooperation between the two countries, as well as coordination of efforts within NATO and the European Union to strengthen security.

 

A priority topic on the meeting agenda was the preparation of the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, scheduled for 2025, with the two ministers analyzing the ways of implementing the decisions made to consolidate the Eastern flank of the Alliance. The officials also discussed concrete support measures for Ukraine, in the context of Russian aggression, and the essential role of NATO-EU cooperation. 

 

During the meeting, the ministers also addressed the challenges generated by hybrid threats to European security, emphasizing the importance of strengthening national resilience and international coordination in order to face them. In this context, the officials highlighted the importance of supporting the Republic of Moldova throughout its European integration efforts. 

 

Industrial cooperation in the field of defence was another important topic of discussion during the meeting, the officials highlighting the opportunities to develop joint projects, especially the European Union initiatives, such as the European Defence Industry Program (EDIP), with a view of meeting the armed forces’ modernization requirements and supporting NATO's strategic initiatives. 

 

Minister Angel Tîlvăr thanked his counterpart for the significant contribution of the Netherlands to the Alliance's deterrence and defence posture in the Black Sea area and reiterated Romania's firm commitment to supporting Ukraine, by means of allied and European initiatives.

 

At the end of the meeting, the two officials agreed to maintain a constant dialogue, including at expert level, to ensure the continuity and efficiency of bilateral cooperation projects.

The Press Office