March 17, 2022 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 17.03.2022, 20:27

TALKS Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on
Thursday said a substantial and balanced consolidation of NATO’s eastern flank
is urgently needed against the background of the present security situation,
which he described as ‘particularly concerning’. The Romanian official made the
statement after the talks he held in Bucharest on Thursday with his Estonian
counterpart Alar Karis. Iohannis also said he would present these priorities of
Romania’s at the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels. The Estonian president, who
had earlier paid a visit to Chisinau, underlined that more actions are needed on
NATO’s eastern flank, due to Russia’s aggressive behavior. He said the Republic
of Moldova must be helped in this ‘terrible crisis’. Also on Thursday, Iohannis
held talks in Bucharest with the Spanish Premier Pedro Sanches. High on the
agenda were the refugee crisis, the impact of the crisis in Ukraine, mainly
from the energy point of view and its implications for the region’s security.
Romania and Spain have convergent opinions over the importance we should attach
to developing the energy transport infrastructure, the connection between the
member countries, increasing production and storage capabilities – the head of
the Romanian state said. In turn the Spanish Prime Minister said the economic
effects of the war in Ukraine are severe. We’ve all condemned this invasion
said Sanchez adding the package of sanctions against Russia will continue to
increase. The Spanish official also met his Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca
and both appreciated the joint NATO-EU response to the crisis in Ukraine and
the importance of solidarity with the states dealing first hand with the
refugee crisis.

UKRAINE In the absence of any sign that the
Russian forces would slow down their onslaught against the port-city of
Mariupol, efforts to evacuate civilians through safe corridors are carried on.
30 thousand inhabitants have left the city including 300 people, who according
to Moscow, went by bus over the border in Rostov. A theatre in Mariupol sheltering
hundreds of civilians was bombed by the Russian forces on Wednesday. After
speaking before the US Congress yesterday, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr
Zelensky on Thursday talked before the Bundestag calling on Germany to tear down
the new wall against freedom created in Europe by Russian president Vladimir
Putin. France announced it would unblock 300 million euro in aid to Ukraine.
Paris had already supplied the Ukrainian forces with defensive equipment and
fuel. And Kiev is benefitting from a massive support from the USA and other
NATO members. Washington announced one billion dollars in military assistance
to this country within a week.

COVID The World Health Organization (WHO) has
expressed concern over the resurge in the number of coronavirus cases across
the world, against the backdrop of the relaxation of restrictions and the
promotion of the false idea that the Omicron strain is harmless. WHO director,
Tedros Ghebreyesus says last week the number of infections went up 8% globally
compared to the previous week. China is facing a large number of infections,
after two years when incidence rates were kept at a minimum. Israel has
announced two new cases of infection with an unknown variant, whereas France,
the Netherlands and Denmark reported a type of infection that combines the
Delta and Omicron strains. According to the latest report of the Group for
Strategic Communication, Romania reported a little over 4,000 new cases and 63
related fatalities within the space of 24 hours, of which 27 were prior to the
reference period.

NATO In Brussels, NATO Defense Ministers
decided to extend the term of the Alliance’s consolidated posture, particularly
on the eastern flank, due to the war in Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens
Stoltenberg warned that Russia’s readiness to use force must not be
underestimated, nor should the fact that Russia is a nuclear power. The NATO
official said there is unanimity in the Alliance’s decision not to send forces
on the ground or to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Soltenberg explained
that NATO wants to prevent the war in Ukraine from spreading to the region. In
turn, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoană, said the Alliance’s new posture does not
mean the Alliance believes Russia will attack NATO, but is simply a form of
deterrence. Mircea Geoană explained that the battlegroup created in Romania
will soon be fully operational.

(bill)