Romania remains committed to supporting the capability coalitions for Ukraine

State Secretary for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations, Simona Cojocaru, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad, represented the Ministry of National Defence on Thursday, January 9th, in this year's first meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, held at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

The Ukraine Defence Contact Group, an initiative of US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III since April 2022, brought together officials from more than 50 countries, along with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, as well as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, to discuss Ukraine's security cooperation.

The Romanian State Secretary emphasized the firm and constant support offered to Ukraine, restating our country's commitment to support the fundamental principles of the international order.

At the same time, he emphasized the fact that the aggression of the Russian Federation was not only an attack against Ukraine, but also a major threat to global security and stability. As an active member of the Ramstein format, Romania continues to be a reliable partner of Ukraine, contributing humanitarian and logistic support, as well as training programs for military personnel.

During the meeting, the roadmaps of the eight Capability Coalitions, coordinated by 14 countries together with Ukraine, targeting key areas such as air force, artillery, demining, drones, information technology, air and integrated missile defence, as well as maritime security by 2027, were approved. These roadmaps are developed to provide effective and sustainable solutions to address both immediate and long-term needs of Ukraine.

Romania currently contributes to the air capability coalition, as well as to the maritime capabilities coalition. During her speech, State Secretary Simona Cojocaru highlighted the solidarity of the participating states, the importance of unity and the need to continue support for Ukraine, which is facing major challenges almost three years after the Russian Federation launched this devastating conflict.

In the end, the leaders thanked the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, for his coordination efforts and the effectiveness of the Ramstein format, and emphasized his outstanding contribution to the success of this unique international cooperation framework.

The Press Office