The Romanian and French presidents Klaus Iohannis and Emmanuel Macron, have met this morning at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Constanţa County.
The two heads of state held one-on-one talks and official talks, as well as a meeting with the military deployed in the Kogălniceanu Base, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration.
“The commitment of our troops and other allies demonstrates our unity and strengthens security in the Black Sea and Euro-Atlantic region. Together we are stronger,” Klaus Iohannis posted on Twitter.
The two presidents discussed ways to further strengthen the Romanian-French Strategic Partnership, renewed in 2018 by the signing in Paris by Klaus Iohannis and Emmanuel Macron of the related Political Declaration, with the guidelines being detailed within the Roadmap signed in 2020.
Iohannis thanked Macron for the presence of the French military in Romania and for France’s assumption of the leadership of the NATO Combat Group in our country. “In fact, the preparation for the NATO Summit in Madrid had a special place in our discussions, which will take essential decisions for the future of the Alliance and for our common security. Thus, we discussed, with priority, the need to strengthen the position of deterrence and defense on the Eastern Flank, especially, of course, on the Black Sea, the new Strategic Concept, the support of Alliance partners and the prospects of joining Sweden and Finland,” said Iohannis.
The two leaders also discussed “the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.”
“Romania is making sustained, multidimensional efforts to support Ukraine by offering routes for grain exports, including through the Black Sea Port of Constanta and through the Romanian ports on the Danube. Our authorities are looking for integrated solutions to make this transit as efficient as possible, including with the support of our external partners. We have thus established, together with the President, that we will cooperate closely to achieve this goal”, Iohannis continued.
Romania is not a country like any other for France, and the alliance between the two states is based on a two-century friendship, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the French president said he was proud and happy to be in Romania, where he had a discussion with President Klaus Iohannis. Macron appreciated the collaboration between the two countries, but also the professionalism of the Romanian army.
“Romania is not for France a country like any other. The alliance between our countries is based on a two-century friendship. We have mentioned this together several times. In the face of serious crises that threatened its security, Romania was able to count on the fraternity of France. I am proud to continue this historical tradition today. In order to go even further, we want to continue advancing bilaterally, we are working at the request of the Romanian authorities on an ambitious plan to support the Romanian Naval Forces. The relevant ministers were able to discuss and establish a framework document, and politically and militarily we want to strengthen this framework document and this cooperation,” the French president said.
The French president specified that the NATO device in Romania will be supplemented. “The current device will grow, it will increase its capabilities. The summit in Madrid will confirm this ambition and is further proof of our unity in removing any threat from the EU’s and NATO’s Eastern Flank,” Macron said.
Iohannis: Romania’s accession to Schengen will contribute to strengthening EU security
Romania’s accession to the Schengen area and its active involvement in the protection of the European Union’s external border were also addressed in the talks. Particular attention will be paid to coordinating the positions of the two states in preparation for the European Council meetings in Brussels, as well as the NATO Summit in Madrid, which will take place in the second half of June, according to the statement.
Cooperation between Romania and France on security has intensified “particularly and welcome” amid the crisis caused by the military aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, President Klaus Iohannis said in a joint press conference with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
“We had a comprehensive discussion with President Macron on the prospects for expanding the Schengen area and explained Romania’s legitimate expectation of accession. I emphasized that the enlargement of the Schengen area would help to strengthen the security and resilience of the Union as a whole and to strengthen the competitiveness of the Single Market for the benefit of European citizens. We are confident that we will be able to count on France’s support to unblock our country’s Schengen accession process,” said the Romanian president.
In his turn, the French President said that France is by Romania’s side on the process of Schengen accession. “We want this file to advance, to make progress. France has been by Romania’s side for years now“, Macron stated.
Macron: For Ukraine to win the war, it has to negotiate. We Europeans bring security guarantees
A priority topic on the agenda was the evolution of the security situation in the region and the multiple effects of the war in Ukraine, along with the support given to Ukraine and the Ukrainian refugees, as well as the proposals related to the reconstruction of this country.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that the Ukrainian president will have to negotiate with Russia, and the Europeans will also be present at the negotiating table, bringing security guarantees.
“We Europeans share the same continent and geography is stubborn and Russia will stay where it is, where it was yesterday and where it will be tomorrow. Russia is a feared power and we do not want to have war with the Russian people. We have not said this, but for Ukraine to win and the ceasefire to cease, we must negotiate. The Ukrainian president will have to negotiate with Russia, and we Europeans will also be present at this table, bringing security guarantees and elements of our responsibility. This is the reality, it will have to happen at some point and no excessive speech should overshadow our future,” the French president told a news conference.
On his statement that Russia should not be humiliated, Macron said that “in the face of Russia’s determined war against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, the position of France and Europe is clear from day one.”
“We must first do everything we can to prevent this war and we have acted in this regard, and then we must join in sanctioning Russia ,which we have designated from day one as responsible for this war, and we have acted from day one also for this political, moral and historical mistake,” Macron said.
“Since the beginning of the conflict, we have taken six series of sanctions, until the last, which almost entirely sanction the supply of Russian oil. Clearly, we will continue to support Ukraine in helping it to defend itself, to fight, economically and financially, in humanitarian terms, and we will continue to receive these refugees fleeing the war on European soil. This is the position of France, without any complacency and without any compromise, but we want to build peace as well, which means that at some point the fire must cease and the talks must resume “, added Emmanuel Macron.
The two heads of state were also discussing the continued support of the Republic of Moldova, which faces many challenges posed by the effects of Russian aggression in Ukraine, including continuing efforts to assist through the Support Platform for the Republic of Moldova, created at the initiative of Romania, France and Germany in April, according to the Presidential Administration. Applications for the status of candidate for accession to the European Union of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, as well as concrete support for their European integration will also be on the agenda.
The visit of the President of France takes place against the background of an intense bilateral political dialogue and within the broad framework provided by the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, as well as by the close cooperation at European and international level. To these is added the recent decision of France to be a framework nation for the Allied Combat Group in our country and to participate with troops in it.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Constanța on Tuesday evening. The visit to Romania is just the beginning of the French president’s Eastern European tour. The Elysee leader’s plane landed at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport, where he was greeted by Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca.
Romanian PM Nicolae Ciuca sent a message of thanks to France for the military presence in Romania within the NATO rapid reaction force, on the occasion of the reception in our country of the French President Emmanuel Macron. “I had the pleasure of receiving French President Emmanuel Macron in Romania. Welcome, Mr. President! Once again, a big thank you to France for the military presence in Romania, within the NATO rapid reaction force “, Nicolae Ciucă said in a message on the Government’s twitter page.
Emmanuel Macron had a private meeting with the French soldiers stationed at the base in Constanța County. He thanked the French military and allies present in Romania in the current international context. “I also want to thank the Romanian Army for the way they received you, for the cooperation they knew how to build and to thank all the allies present, especially our American allies, who are represented here and who play an essential role on this flank of the Alliance,” said the French president.
He emphasized the importance of the rapid response of NATO allies, including France, which had deployed additional forces in the eastern flank countries. “By moving so fast (…), you have contributed to the consolidation of this partnership, but also to the building of something even more precious between nations and between armies, trust. And in particular the trust of our Romanian friends and of the entire eastern flank of Europe and our alliance. This is invaluable,” said the French president.