Probably never in its modern history has Romania been strategically as relevant as it is now, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana said on Thursday.
"You all know that at NATO we are facing the worst security crisis in decades, and we are all looking with anxiety, outrage and concern at the war that Putin has waged against our neighbor, Ukraine. As we focus on defending our allies and supporting Ukraine, we must not forget that in parallel with this conflict, the technological revolution continues and we anticipate that this revolution will be sped up by this conflict with important implications and consequences," Geoana said in an online statement to the participants in the Smart City Industry Awards Gala taking place at the Palace of Parliament.
The NATO senior official encourages national and local leaders, business leaders, academics and citizens, Romanians in the country and abroad to look for answers to the security issues, but which are also capable of bringing about economic development, fast-track digitalization, increased resilience and of "better putting Romania's full potential to work", Agerpres.ro informs.
"18 years ago we were joining NATO. We will continue to be a key and an anchor within NATO and the European Union, but we have an obligation to invest so that this strategic relevance translates into geo-economic relevance, development and prosperity, and smart and dynamic cities, localities, communities that understand both their vulnerabilities and their potential are the key to this success," Geoana concluded.