“Romania joins the US and its allies in its complete show of solidarity for Ukraine. We will continue to deliver multidimensional support for Ukraine’s defensive efforts against the Russian aggression”, the Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr told his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, in a phone conversation on Wednesday. Talks mainly focused on security developments in the context of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and unconditional support for this country. Both parties reiterated the importance of maintaining trans-Atlantic unity in the current security climate. The two officials reiterated the need to carry on bilateral efforts with a view to consolidating Euro-Atlantic security and strengthening the Romania-United States Strategic Partnership. The Partnership remains a key priority for Romania and the Defense Ministry, Angel Tîlvăr pointed out. We continue to make headway in the development of joint projects, thus consolidating cooperation in the military sector, the Romanian official said, expressing gratitude to the US Defense Secretary for the consistent presence of US troops on the territory of Romania.
Talks between the two officials also occasioned a debate on topics of interest ahead of the Contact Group for Ukraine meeting to take place on April 26, as well as a discussion on shared goals ahead of the NATO summit due this summer in Washington. Both parties expressed their joint commitment to consolidating the Alliance’s deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank. Romanian-US talks were held as president Joe Biden recently signed into law the Senate’s 61-bln-USD aid package for Ukraine. The White House leader said more weapons and military equipment will be delivered to Ukraine over the coming weeks. The vote in Congress ended six months of blockade, coming at a very difficult time for the Ukrainian army, forced to cope with Russia’s mounting military pressure, news agencies write. President Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the US support, and his generals voiced confidence that this aid will help push back the Russians on the eastern front. American authorities also confirmed the delivery of long-range missiles to Ukraine, to be used solely on its territory. Known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), the weapons arrived in March in Ukraine in response to Russia’s use of long-range missiles delivered by North-Korea in the war in Ukraine, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan says. (VP)