Army Chief Warns of Ukraine Conflict Escalation, Urges Romania’s Prep. President Iohannis: There is no need to panic

The head of the Romanian Army, Gheorghiță Vlad, declared that there is a risk of escalation of the conflict in Ukraine and that our country must accelerate the endowment of the defense forces.

General Gheorghiță Vlad, head of the Romanian Army:

“The forecast we are making also foresees scenarios such as the escalation of conflicts, including those of a military nature. We continue to bet on deterrence generated by a defensive capability. This is why we press the pedal to strengthen the institution of national defense and to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defense”.

The head of the Romanian Army, General Gheorghiță Vlad, said in an interview for Free Europe in February that the law on training the population for defense should be amended, so that Romanians are trained and prepared in the event of a war. He says there is a bill to that effect submitted to Parliament and he hopes it will be passed this year.

“The Russian Federation has become a problem for world order, for democracy. In fact, it is a war of Russia with the democratic world. It is not a war with Ukraine. Yes, the population of Romania, like the entire population of the European Union, of Europe, must be concerned and we must adopt the appropriate measures to be prepared. I personally, not necessarily as a military person, believe that the Russian Federation will not stop here. If he wins in Ukraine, the main target will be the Republic of Moldova. We will witness tensions in the Western Balkans. I am more than convinced that President Putin’s policy will escalate in the immediate future”, declared the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad.

However, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis declared on Wednesday that Romania is a safe country, that there is no direct threat to our country and that there is no signal that there is any danger of attacks or other unwanted events.

“There is no direct threat. Of course, the military always prepares for all possible situations. From my information, Romania is a safe country, Romanians should not be afraid. Of course, we must always be prepared for unexpected events. There is no need to panic or think that Romania is somehow under threat. Romania now benefits, because it is in NATO, from the most important security guarantees we have ever had. To realize the value of our membership in NATO and the EU, it is very important to understand that we are not alone, but together with our allies and that we can face any situation very well. good I have no signal or indication that there is any danger of attacks or other undesirable events”, declared Klaus Iohannis.

No combatants sent in Ukraine

President Klaus Iohannis declared that Romania will not send combatants to Ukraine. “Romania will not send combatants to Ukraine, the discussion is simple and I think that’s the end of it,” said the head of state, on the other hand.

Referring to the expenses for equipping the army, the president explained that there are two reasons why things got complicated. “Things got complicated for two reasons: one, because everyone wants to buy weapons these days and it’s not that easy to make a purchase anymore. Two: the inflation we’ve had has messed up the calculation a bit and in this area. But, to a good extent, this expenditure has already been corrected, because a lot of money was spent in Defense at the beginning of this year for matters that were planned to be purchased last year. Unfortunately, we do not have multiannual budgeting, even though such a thing has been discussed for decades. Maybe one day we will have it, because you cannot plan military acquisitions with annual budgets. No one produces sophisticated weapons overnight and no one has them in stock, they must be ordered, produced, delivered, paid for, a matter that often takes place over several years”, stated Klaus Iohannis.