NATO deputy secretary general, Mircea Geoană commented on the “nightmare scenario” published by Il Messaggero, in which it would take Putin less than 24 hours to defeat Romania. NATO’s deputy general secretary says that “if we were alone, it would be an extremely dangerous thing for Romania.” “The idea that it takes 24 hours for the allies to come is outdated. We are working from day zero of the beginning of aggression against Romania,” Mircea Geoană told Digi24.
“(...) The Black Sea, plus the Mediterranean and everything that means more vulnerable points are treated with priority by our Alliance together with the Romanian ally, together with the Bulgarian ally. There are also vulnerable areas in other points on this border and on this eastern flank of NATO. That is why, indeed, it is a more sensitive area and the Delta area and the Focșani area, Nămoloasa is traditionally. But that makes us take extra measures here. After these repeated incidents with drones also falling near us, it also happened in Poland that for 39 seconds, a rather long turn, a Russian missile attacked Ukraine from the west, it was not for the Poles, it was for the Ukrainians. A few drones fell on us. There are things that make us much more vigilant. I want to thank the allies who, at Romania’s request, are providing additional anti-missile defense, additional air police in this area today. And we, when we plan what we have to do, we think about protecting, obviously. And the idea that you need 24 hours for your allies to come is outdated, it is no longer relevant. We, now, are working from day zero of, God forbid, a start of aggression against Romania, let’s say, in the present case, we are no longer planning, allied reinforcements are coming after I don’t know how long, but we are thinking and planning from day zero to be there, to be able to really defend every square inch of ground,” said Geoana.
“It is a matter of mobilization and military resources and coherence in which Romania must do its duty because it is the ally in question, it must be with what it proposed and what NATO offered. By the way, Romania, like many other allies from the East, have put almost the entire Romanian Army at the disposal of NATO. An extraordinarily positive thing. So, we can say that we are working with the Romanian ally, including in this area, including in other areas of Romania, other areas of Romania, we are thinking about the whole of Romania. It may be here, it may be elsewhere, God forbid! And then we have a military planning with the Romanian allies, with NATO and, God forbid, the Romanian Army, in a large proportion, in a proportion of over 90%, comes under our command, of NATO, and we start to do from the zero moment of T0 what we have to do. That is why I want to give a signal of confidence and calm on these subjects. If we had thought about it a year ago, this report would undoubtedly have been closer to reality. Today, when we implement these new plans, this historical situation of vulnerability of Romania,” NATO deputy chief added.
According to a scenario published by the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, it would take Russia less than 24 hours to attack and conquer Bucharest. Difficulties in moving NATO troops and ammunition, Russian influences in neighboring countries and a weak point on the country’s border would allow a victory in a very short time, says this nightmare scenario. The Italian publication reprinted scenarios from a 2021 CEPA report coordinated by US General Ben Hodges.