Rutte-Ciolacu meeting in Brussels. Romanian PM Urges NATO to Boost Eastern Flank and Black Sea Presence

On Monday 18 November 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu at NATO Headquarters to discuss security in the Black Sea region, but also strengthening the Eastern Flank at the Black Sea and strengthening the alliance’s presence in Romania.

NATO chief Mark Rutte thanked Prime Minister Ciolacu for Romania’s numerous contributions to the Alliance. Romania invests more than 2% of its GDP on defence, hosts a NATO multinational battlegroup, and contributes troops to NATO missions in Kosovo and Iraq.

At the end of the meeting, in his turn, PM Ciolacu said that “Romanians are safe”.

The Prime Minister announced that he shares NATO Secretary General’s vision that no country can tackle security threats alone. “The fact that we are stronger together is a reality, not just a slogan. That is why I expressed Romania’s gratitude to the Secretary General, both to our Allies who provide concrete support and to NATO for adopting measures specifically dedicated to Romania in land and air defense. We have a significant Allied military presence in Romania, but I asked the Secretary General to support the enhancement and strengthening of this presence, as well as the consolidation of NATO’s posture on the Eastern Flank and in the Black Sea. Such steps are indispensable for credible deterrence against Russian threats,” the Romanian PM stated.

Ciolacu also noted that he had felt the NATO Secretary General’s solidarity from the beginning of his mandate, particularly during the firm declaration of support for Romania following the Russian drone incident in October. “We are ready to contribute to strengthening the Alliance and maintaining a strong transatlantic relationship. This is especially crucial given the extremely complex security context we face. The Russian Federation has chosen to become NATO’s greatest threat. Russia has brought war back to Europe, right to Romania’s borders, heightening our citizens’ concerns. That’s why we are here, at NATO headquarters, standing shoulder to shoulder, to send a strong message that Romanians are safe and stable. Romania is part of NATO; the Alliance has a substantial presence in our country, which guarantees that every inch of our territory is fully protected,” said Ciolacu after his meeting with Mark Rutte.

He added that the violations of Allied airspace and Russia’s aggressive posture in the Black Sea underline the importance of increasing troop numbers in the region and delivering a united and solid response from the Alliance.

Ciolacu also informed the Secretary General that this week Romania will sign a letter of acceptance with the U.S. for the acquisition of 32 state-of-the-art F-35 aircraft. Additionally, he reiterated Romania’s consistent support for Ukraine and Moldova. “We recently witnessed attempts to derail Moldova’s European path. We have a duty to support Chișinău, and we wish to contribute together to this effort,” the Romanian Prime Minister added during his visit to Brussels, leading a government delegation that included Foreign Affairs Minister Luminița Odobescu and Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr.