JFC Naples Commander, at the MoND Headquarters

Minister of National Defence, Radu Miruță, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad, had official meetings on Thursday, April 2, with Admiral George Wikoff, Commander of the Allied Joint Force Command Naples, at the Ministry of National Defence Headquarters.

 

The talks aimed at strengthening the Allied defence posture, especially in the Black Sea region, as well as Romania's contributions to the Alliance's operations, missions and Enhanced Vigilance Activities on the Eastern Flank.

 

In this context, the Minister of National Defence emphasized the need for efficient coordination among the allied states, and highlighted the importance of cooperation with a view to consolidating the Eastern Flank and preparations for the NATO Summit to be held in Ankara, this July.

 

At the same time, the officials addressed issues regarding military mobility and host nation support, and stressed the need for closer cooperation between NATO and the European Union. The Romanian official highlighted the progress made in implementing the decisions adopted at the NATO Summit in The Hague, in 2025, as well as Romania's sustained efforts to meet its defence commitments.

 

"In such busy times at global level, the most important thing is to have dialogue, to openly discuss problems and solutions. Romania has very clearly shown, with concrete facts and investments, that it is an extremely serious partner you can rely on," concluded Minister Miruță.

 

During the discussions, the Chief of Defence Staff stressed the essential role of the allied presence and joint training on Romanian territory, as concrete elements that contribute to increasing the response capacity and strengthening regional security, and emphasized that what is built together, through exercises and cooperation among allies, is directly reflected in the ability to act quickly and in a coordinated manner, thus, offering the soldiers confidence in their own forces, the team and in the partners with whom they conduct their missions.

 

Admiral George Wikoff appreciated, during the talks, the fact that the Romanian soldiers participating in the NATO Mission Iraq successfully fulfilled their force protection mission and were the last to leave the base, ensuring the successful deployment of the other detachments, in accordance with the Alliance's plans.

 

The admiral also emphasized the importance of Romania's efforts for NATO's collective defence.

 

The meetings reconfirmed NATO's firm commitment to collective defense and to protecting the Allied territory from security threats.

The Press Office