Romania’s security depends on the strategic partnership with the USA, says Prime Minister Ciolacu. This is also stated by the presidential candidates, led by Mr. Antonescu, who believe that rebuilding the relationship with the USA should be a priority.
There is a sad desperation in these positions, otherwise fundamentally correct. Like the desperation of a husband/wife making plans for a future vacation together and diligently preparing a candlelit dinner, looking confidently and hopefully at the intact marriage certificate, while the partner has already moved on to a lover.
Of course, that's how it was until January this year. Of course, officially, in all documents and treaties, including NATO, it continues to be so.
We understand from President Bolojan that there are currently no official discussions on the subject circulated by the American press regarding the withdrawal of 10 thousand American soldiers from the eastern flank of NATO, meaning from Romania and Poland.
But at the White House, Donald Trump is in charge. Since taking power, how many agreements, treaties, commitments has he respected?
Since becoming president, Donald Trump has done nothing but cancel all agreements of the USA, including through suicidal actions, such as the trade war from which, according to the world's leading economists, according to the editorial leadership of the Financial Times, Americans have no chance of coming out on top, but which is inevitably pushing the entire world into recession.
No one has found anything logical, beyond primitive and totally unsustainable calculations, in what Donald Trump is doing. Not even Elon Musk.
He has opened many fronts, nothing has worked out yet, changes objectives dizzyingly, so as not to have his failures counted, he is progressively losing internal support and has only a year until the midterm elections which could blow up the Republican majority.
Beyond the paper full of substantive commitments until January, what makes us believe that Donald Trump will keep his word regarding Romania and guarantee its security because other presidents before him have promised the same?
It depends on who is elected president, some will say. If it's a Trump supporter, Trump will keep his word.
It's an illusion. A Trump supporter at the Cotroceni Palace will only be a premise for Trump to get an even better deal for maintaining the illusion that the marriage certificate is intact and at least a few shirts still hang in the closet.
Can we imagine that the man who is about to sacrifice Elon Musk, his main supporter, will be loyal to some Trump supporter from across the seas and lands?
Can we imagine that in exchange for a possible emergency intervention, Donald Trump will not plunder us like he wants to do with Ukraine and its rare metals?
We forgot that the Visa Waiver, a program assumed by the American administration, was suspended overnight, without explanations, without a hint of respect for the people who had made plans, including business plans, even with threats on the US Embassy website for Romanians preparing to storm America's borders.
Sending trays of cakes and love letters in vain, being willing to argue with the family just to get them to come back home. They will only come back to take the last bit of maintenance money from the nightstand and the shopping card.
Simply put, there is no rational reason to trust Donald Trump. He is a man who does not respect any agreement, has no respect for his word, has no honor. So how can you trust him to guarantee your security in times of need?
At this moment, Romania should accept this new reality, instead of holding tightly to the marriage certificate. This does not mean extreme gestures, it does not mean some kind of whim or sharp reactions. Not at all!
But simply, an acceptance of the new reality, an evaluation of alternatives and actions accordingly. Repeating the words strategic partnership like a mantra, I don't know if it helps. In fact, Trump has suspended every rule, every partnership.
Evidently, Europe cannot currently compensate for a massive American withdrawal. But it must become able to do so. This should become the main objective of a Europe that has for too long comfortably developed on cheap Russian gas, while handing over its security to the USA while, out of boredom, made regulations about bottle caps.
It has just discovered how insecure both were and how important it is to get out of the rut.
And Romania, a strategic partner on paper with the USA, is first and foremost part of Europe and shares the fate of Europe.
Sure, Donald Trump is a historical accident that will ultimately end in one way or another. But the essential lesson is that the accident can happen at any time, so we must be prepared.