Bucharest and the NATO Strategy
A neighbour of the Ukraine devastated by the clashes in the pro-Russian separatist areas, Romania is strengthening its defence system
Bogdan Matei, 20.05.2015, 13:12
Not far from the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, annexed last year by Moscow, Romanian and Portuguese air forces take part in joint patrol missions, including over the Black Sea. Four Portuguese F-16 fighter jets are already crossing the Romanian air space, in missions co-ordinated by the NATO Air Command based in Ramstein, Germany. Alliance officials have explained that the participation of Portuguese troops in these missions is part of the NATO measures aimed at guaranteeing the security of its eastern members, precisely against the backdrop of tensions with Russia.
In the USA, Admiral James Winnefeld, vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has announced the missile defence shield is soon to be operational. The system is designed to protect, among others, the southern NATO borders. In turn, the Romanian Defence Minister Mircea Dusa said the anti-missile shield components in Deveselu, southern Romania, would become operational this autumn, as scheduled.
Concurrently with the military moves, the West carries on its diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the region. NATO has once again urged Russia to pull out all troops and heavy weapons from eastern Ukraine. In a meeting in Brussels between the NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and the Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, the former called for more transparency in the many operations conducted this year by Russian troops. Previously, NATO had announced that Brussels opened telephone lines for emergency communication with Russia. This is, according to analysts, a step towards rebuilding the ties that had been loosened last year in the context of the Ukrainian crisis.
Also taking part in the meeting in Brussels was the chief of staff of the Republic of Moldova, Gen. Igor Gorgan, who attended the meetings of the EU Military Committee and the NATO Military Committee and had talks with his Romanian and Ukrainian counterparts, Nicolae Ciuca and Viktor Mujenko respectively. Located between Romania and Ukraine, and facing its own pro-Russian breakaway tendencies in Transdniester, in the east, the Republic of Moldova looks to the West for security guarantees.
In Tuesdays talks in Bucharest with his Moldovan counterpart Viorel Cibotaru, the Defence Minister Mircea Dusa reiterated Romanias willingness to provide technical and material assistance to strengthen Moldovas defence capabilities. Romania is therefore determined to act not only as a beneficiary, but also as a provider of security for a neighbouring country with which it has close ties and for whose EU accession it has always pleaded.
