Romanian President Klaus Iohannis sent a message on the occasion of NATO Day and the 75th anniversary of the founding of NATO by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty.
The head of state has announced his desire to become the future Secretary General of NATO at the end of Jens Stoltenberg’s mandate, in October.
Iohannis says that war has returned to Europe due to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, and now Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is more relevant than ever.
The commitment to collective defense provides each of the 32 allies with the guarantee of democratic societies, in peace and security.
According to Iohannis, Romania fully identifies with NATO's democratic values and acts responsibly and decisively at the allied level, as a true pillar of security and stability in the Black Sea region and on the Eastern Flank.
Here is the full message:
"Today, we celebrate 75 years since the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the most powerful political and military alliance in history, based on the values of democracy, individual freedom, and the rule of law.
Based on the strong transatlantic bond and the unwavering solidarity of the member states, NATO has continuously adapted over all these years to the changes and multiple challenges in the international security environment, increasing its strategic relevance and ensuring security in the Euro-Atlantic area.
In 1949, when the North Atlantic Treaty, which established NATO, was signed in Washington, the world was affected by the beginning of the Cold War, a challenging episode of post-war history that lasted four decades. This was followed by the extended approach to security and the inclusion by NATO of new members from Central and Eastern Europe, and after 9/11, combating international terrorism and managing new asymmetric threats became a priority for the Alliance.
Today, as we celebrate 75 years of NATO, war has returned to Europe due to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, and current security challenges are among the most diverse and complex, from conventional to hybrid, cyber, and unconventional threats.
Moreover, in this challenging security context, NATO remains united, strong, and adapts conceptually, structurally, institutionally, and operationally to maintain its military superiority as a deterrent against any potential adversary.
In the last 10 years, NATO's deterrence and defense posture has been significantly strengthened, especially on the Eastern Flank, and this process will continue, based on the provisions of the NATO Strategic Concept adopted in Madrid in 2022, which enshrines deterrence and defense as the Alliance's primary fundamental task.
Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is more relevant today than ever, and the commitment to collective defense provides each of the 32 allies with the guarantee of democratic societies, in peace and security.
Equally, we remain firmly committed, as allies, to strengthen our own defense capabilities and to contribute equitably to sharing responsibilities at the NATO level.
Romania fully identifies with NATO's democratic values and acts responsibly and decisively at the allied level, as a true pillar of security and stability in the Black Sea region and on the Eastern Flank. We will continue to honor our commitments and actively engage in NATO's adaptation process to the developments in the security environment, both on the political and military dimensions of the North Atlantic Alliance.
Together with partners from Europe and the Asia-Pacific, we will continue to strengthen NATO so that it remains the strongest politico-military alliance in history.
Together we are stronger, together we are NATO!
Happy anniversary, NATO! Happy anniversary, Romania!"