President Klaus Iohannis spoke again on wednesday about his candidacy for the position of NATO Secretary General.
The head of state stated that the countries in the Eastern Flank of NATO are on the front line allied for deterrence against Russia’s aggressive stance, making it a legitimate aspiration for a more significant representation in NATO’s leadership structures.
Iohannis emphasized that his entry into the competition for the position of NATO Secretary General was made with the conviction that his experience and deep understanding of the specifics of this complex region are significant assets for the future decisions that the Alliance will need to make in order to ensure Euro-Atlantic security.
"The countries in the Eastern Flank of NATO are, in these times, on the front line allied for deterrence and defense to maintain Euro-Atlantic security against Russia's aggressive stance. It is, therefore, a legitimate aspiration for a more significant representation in NATO's leadership structures of an entire region that, throughout history, has constantly faced the Russian threat. Romania has received recognition from all allies for the achievements and professionalism of our military personnel and has strengthened its status as a trusted partner within NATO.
These have indeed been the reasons for my entry into the competition for the position of NATO Secretary General, with the conviction that my experience and deep understanding of the specifics of this complicated region are significant assets for the future decisions that the Alliance will need to make in order to ensure Euro-Atlantic security," the president said in his speech at the event dedicated to celebrating two decades since Romania's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance "Romania-NATO, 20 years."
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Klaus Iohannis stated that the current challenging period marked by multiple challenges in the European and global context finds us firmly anchored in NATO and the European Union, as well as in the Strategic Partnership with the United States, the three indisputable pillars of our foreign and security policy.
"Today, we benefit from the most solid security guarantees in Romania's history, provided by Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. In turn, we respect the commitments made at the allied level and contribute to strengthening common security and collective defense. We have been present in Afghanistan, part of the Multinational Forces in Iraq, and fought together against global terrorism. Today, we maintain a significant presence within the NATO Mission in Kosovo and make a substantial contribution to strengthening NATO's deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank," emphasized the head of state.
Romania's Support
Klaus Iohannis also mentioned that Romania hosts operational and robust NATO structures, and our military personnel collaborate and train in Romania together with over 5,000 comrades from the United States of America, France, Poland, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain, North Macedonia, and Luxembourg.
The president further stated that the defense of our citizens is one of the fundamental obligations of the Romanian state, but the safety of people cannot be guaranteed without an army equipped with modern technology.
"Starting in 2023, Romania has increased its defense allocation from 2% to 2.5% of GDP, for the endowment of the Romanian Army, for the motivation, training, and improvement of our military personnel, and to enhance interoperability with allied forces. At the same time, we must intensify efforts to strengthen the military personnel reserve, revitalize the national defense industry, and modernize transport infrastructure," stressed Klaus Iohannis.
The head of state also mentioned that Romania, together with NATO allies, will continue to provide support to Ukraine.
"Together with NATO allies, we will continue to offer multidimensional political and practical support to Kyiv. An important dimension of this support will be the training of Ukrainian military personnel, including future F-16 pilots, at the Center we host in Fetești.
We will continue to coordinate within the European Union to support the European path of Kyiv and Chisinau and advocate for substantial assistance to Ukraine on all levels. Additionally, Romania remains a staunch supporter of the transatlantic link and intensified cooperation between NATO and the European Union, in the spirit of synergy of efforts and mutually beneficial complementarity," the president added.
Last month, Klaus Iohannis officially announced that he has decided to enter the competition for the position of NATO Secretary General.