Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu reiterated his concern regarding the build up of Russia's military presence in the Alliance's neighborhood, as well as his call for de-escalation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) informs in a press release.
Bogdan Aurescu attended on Friday an extraordinary meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, where the heads of diplomacies discussed "in depth" the security situation in the Eastern Neighborhood and in the Black Sea region generated by the massive deployment of Russian troops in Ukraine's vicinity and the relevance of these developments for the Euro-Atlantic security.
Referring to the current complex security situation, Minister Aurescu reiterated the Romanian side's stance on the need to strengthen NATO's position of deterrence and defense in a coherent and comprehensive manner on the entire Eastern Flank, included, and particularly at the Black Sea, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On this occasion, the head of the Romanian diplomacy also expressed support for NATO's dual-track approach to Russia, consisting of both firm and credible measures of deterrence and, on this basis, of dialogue, without compromising the principles, values and commitments that represents the foundation of the Alliance.
Bogdan Aurescu also referred to the stakes and implications of these security developments at NATO level, emphasizing the importance of Allied unity and the further strengthening of the transatlantic relationship and highlighting that the Alliance has a special responsibility for preserving the European security architecture and rules-based international order.
He also mentioned the importance of continuing the Alliance's coordination with the European Union, as a "key pillar" of the Western community, alongside NATO, as well as with its neighboring partners, by supporting their resilience and open door policy, included.
Equally, the Romanian Minister reiterated our country's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders.