Defence Minister’s meeting with the Minister Delegate for Europe of the French Republic

 

On Thursday, February 6th, Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvăr, had a meeting with the Minister Delegate for Europe of the French Republic, Benjamin Haddad, at the MoND headquarters.

The two officials discussed cooperation within the North Atlantic Alliance, mainly the consolidation of the NATO Battle Group Romania, with France as framework nation, with the defence minister emphasizing the importance of France's commitment to enhancing stability in the Black Sea region, especially in the current security context.

"The cooperation with the French strategic partner continues the upward trend. The presence of France, alongside soldiers from Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain, represents a strong signal of allied solidarity and recognition of the strategic role of the Black Sea region. Romania will continue to provide all the necessary support in its capacity as host nation for the NATO Battle Group Romania", Minister Tîlvăr stated. 

The two officials discussed the relevance of ensuring security in the Black Sea region, in view of the decisions that will be taken by the allied leaders at the upcoming Summit in The Hague, in June, an essential aspect being the continued support offered to the partners in this area, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

"Considering the intensification of the Russian Federation’s hybrid actions in the Black Sea region and on the entire Eastern Flank of the Alliance, we think that the enforcement of some collective and robust countermeasures is necessary and critical, including in the perspective of the upcoming NATO Summit", the Minister of National Defense stated.

Angel Tîlvăr and Benjamin Haddad also addressed topics related to the cooperation within the European Union, while also trying to identify concrete ways to strengthen defence capabilities at EU level, in the context of the preparations for the first White Paper on the Future of European Defence.

 

 

The Press Office