Meetings on defence
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reassures NATO members that the US is committed to the Alliance
Roxana Vasile, 04.04.2025, 13:50
The international hysteria about the US abandoning NATO is unwarranted, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the foreign ministers of the North Atlantic Alliance on Thursday in Brussels. However, he added, the Allies must reach up to 5% of their countries’ Gross Domestic Product in defence spending within a reasonable period.
According to the US official, who is attending such a NATO meeting for the first time, the increase in defence spending is justified by the need to defend allied territories and deter any potentially aggressive action against any NATO member state.
Against this background, the NATO secretary general Mark Rutte suggested that 3.5% should be the first step taken in the summer, at the Alliance summit in The Hague.
Closely related to this topic, a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting also took place in Brussels, giving Allies an opportunity to reiterate that they will provide all possible assistance for Kyiv to strengthen its position in the face of an aggressive Russia and to achieve sustainable peace.
In turn, defence preparedness and the support provided by EU member states to Ukraine were discussed in Warsaw, during an informal meeting of the bloc’s defence ministers, in which Romania was represented by minister Angel Tîlvăr.
In a session devoted to European defence, minister Tîlvăr commended the March 19 publication of the White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030, including the ReArm Europe initiative. ‘Romania expresses its interest in strengthening the European industrial and technological base, so as to be able to meet current and future challenges, including support through existing instruments and new mechanisms, such as the Security Action for Europe instrument (SAFE), under ReArm Europe,’ Angel Tîlvăr said.
He also pleaded for a geographically balanced industrial and technological development in the field of defence, for support to small and medium-sized enterprises as pillars of competitiveness, as well as for coordination of European and NATO efforts, to ensure complementarity and strategic coherence.
At a working session focusing on Ukraine, the participants conveyed broad support for sustainable peace in this country. In this context, Romania’s contribution to the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine was highlighted, among other things. (AMP)
