Defence Minister’s meeting with his Dutch counterpart, Ruben Brekelmans

On Wednesday, May 7, Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvăr, had an official meeting, at the 86th Air Base "Lieutenant Aviator Gheorghe Mociorniță" in Fetești, with the Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ruben Brekelmans, who was visiting Romania.

During the talks, the two officials analyzed the current state and prospects to enhance Romanian-Dutch military cooperation, with particular emphasis on collaboration within the European Union projects and initiatives in the field of defence, as well as within NATO, in the context of preparations for the upcoming North Atlantic Alliance Summit, which will take place in The Hague, in June. The dialogue also included aspects of bilateral cooperation, such as the European F-16 Training Center operating at the 86th Air Base, as well as the impact of the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine on Euro-Atlantic security.

Minister Angel Tîlvăr expressed his appreciation for the substantial contribution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture in the Black Sea region. In the context of the NATO summit, the Romanian official emphasized the importance of implementing the decisions adopted by the Alliance to strengthen defence on its eastern flank, as well as investments in the defence industry.

Minister Tîlvăr also highlighted the excellent cooperation with the Dutch partner, a year after rendering the European F-16 Training Center operational in Romania. The officials reaffirmed the intention to continue and expand the activities conducted within the center, both for the benefit of the Romanian Air Force and international partners.

During the meeting, the officials agreed to expand the Center's activities in the future with training programs for specialists in the field of F-16 aircraft maintenance. The two officials emphasized that this step would strengthen the range of activities carried out within the training facility, reconfirming the joint commitment to develop F-16 capabilities through cooperation between allies and partners.

At the end of the meeting, the two defence ministers agreed to maintain a constant dialogue, including at the level of technical experts, in order to continue joint projects and coordinate positions within NATO and European Union initiatives.

The Press Office