Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu says that the Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, has great reservations about Romania giving Ukraine a Patriot defense system, noting that he has not discussed this issue with President Klaus Iohannis and that the decision will be taken in the Supreme Council of Defense of the Country (CSAT).
“We are three countries with the Patriot system – it is Poland, Romania and Germany. We know Germany’s position. Mr Tusk is the Prime Minister of Poland. In our country, according to the Constitution, the supreme commander of the army is President Klaus Iohannis. I haven’t had a discussion yet after the president’s visit to the United States. I had discussions with the Minister of Defense. The Minister of Defense has great reservations about giving this system, one of the systems to give it to Ukraine“, PM Ciolacu told Antena 3 on Sunday.
He said that the decision will be taken in the CSAT, together with the President of Romania. “I am firmly convinced that we will make the wisest decision regarding Romania, first of all a good one”, added Marcel Ciolacu.
President Klaus Iohannis declared himself “open to discussions” for Romania to provide Ukraine with a Patriot air defense system, he made these statements on May 7, at the White House, after a meeting with American President Joe Biden. “There is obviously a need for air defense systems, so in recent weeks it’s been an intense discussion. Romania has these systems. We were asked too. President Biden mentioned it at our meeting and I said I’m open to talking. This means that it must be discussed in the CSAT to see what we can give and what we can receive in return, because it is not acceptable for Romania to remain without”, declared Klaus Iohannis.
“I think we will find a solution. It is a single Patriot system. Believe me, I know more details, but yes, there is a functional one that will remain in Romania, the others that are in advanced phases of operationalization and we were talking about one of them”, President Iohannis added.
The Romanian head of state previously said that, at the meeting with the American president, he conveyed to him that Romania will continue to support Ukraine as long as it is necessary. “The joint priority of the EU, the US, is not to allow Russia to win this war”.