Defence Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper met on Thursday at the Pentagon with Romanian National Defence Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca and the two signed a „defence cooperation roadmap” for 10 years.
At the end of the meeting, Minister Nicolae Ciuca said: “The United States is our strongest ally. Romania’s recent national defence strategy for 2020-2024 highlights both the importance and priority of working together to ensure the US’s strategic flexibility in the Black Sea area.”
The USA’s commitment to NATO and Article 5 is „strengthened, and America is side by side with Romania while we promote peace, democracy, freedom and our other shared values,” Pentagon’s chief said.
Romania is investing in the modernization of Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase, which is located near the Black Sea, said Nicolae Ciuca.
“Being on the edge of A2 / AD (anti-access/area denial) in the Black Sea region, 2% of Romania’s GDP for the defence budget is not a number, but a statement of a responsible ally. The acquisition of modern and relevant capabilities is permanent proof of how seriously Romania understands its security and defence role in the region,” said the Romanian Minister of Defence.
„In this timely measure, Romania will maintain and further increase that as a predictable, stable and credible pillar of security, being the beacon of democracy in the region. Romania and the USA unlock the potential of the Black Sea. For such an emerging partnership for the present and especially our future, a shared cooperation roadmap becomes both necessary and efficient. That is why we have designed, together, a clear set of guidelines based on strategic priorities in our bilateral defence cooperation. We are ready to further expand our cooperation and add more substance in areas such as planning and pre-positioning, military, cybernetics, ground, air upgrading and military operation, training and exercises,” said Minister Ciuca.
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