Iohannis: Russia expected a weak international community; it miscalculated
Russia expected a weak international community when it attacked Ukraine, but "it miscalculated", President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday.
The head of state gave a speech at the World Leaders Forum event with the theme "Romania's perspective on the war against Ukraine and its impact on security in the Black Sea", at Columbia University in New York.
"Russia expected a weak international community and a compliant Ukraine. But by threatening and then using force, it got exactly the opposite. Russia miscalculated and underestimated our response as a community of values and security, and miscalculated Ukraine's response," Iohannis said.
The head of state reiterated that Russia's aggression against Ukraine did not start on February 24, 2022.
"It started back in 2008, when Russia attacked Georgia. It continued in 2014, when the so-called 'little green men' illegally occupied Crimea. And then it continued in Donbas. Romania, being very close to all these conflicts, has consistently signaled that such a very brutal and dangerous escalation is underway, and, unfortunately, I was right," Iohannis argued.
Klaus Iohannis recalled that the West was open to dialogue.
"During that period, Russia claimed that the entire international community, especially what it calls the 'collective West', did not want to enter into dialogue and identify solutions to the existing problems - created by Russia itself - in Ukraine. This fact did not was, of course, true. The international community, including Ukraine, actually engaged in dialogue with Russia. There were hundreds of hours of negotiation that took place within the framework provided by the Minsk Agreements. And it was Russia itself that grossly violated these agreements. Before the invasion in 2022, both NATO and the US submitted proposals for talks with Russia. But Russia rejected them," Klaus Iohannis said.
The President recalled that Romania has long pleaded in favor of the prevention and resolution of the so-called prolonged or frozen conflicts in this region. "As I have said many times, the war against Ukraine has taught us that, in such circumstances, the absence of war does not mean peace", added Iohannis.
Klaus Iohannis highlighted that, "ironically, as a direct consequence of the irresponsible and illegal actions of Russia, we managed to achieve incredible results at the global level", namely Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova received the status of candidate countries, energy dependence on Russia was reduced, Finland became a NATO ally, and Sweden is in the process of becoming an ally. "Ukraine itself is now closer, from a political and practical point of view, to the Alliance", added the president.
Also, Iohannis said, NATO made historic decisions to strengthen defense and deterrence on the Eastern Flank and the Black Sea, and the Black Sea "has been irrevocably committed as a region of strategic importance for Euro-Atlantic security, everyone understanding that what happens in the Black Sea, it doesn't stay only in the Black Sea".
"Romania, as a strategic partner of the USA and a NATO ally, is now at the highest level of security in its recent history. We now have a more coherent and focused approach on several areas regarding the defense on the Eastern Flank", he said the president of Romania.
He mentioned the support from our country for the Republic of Moldova. "A stable and safe Republic of Moldova is of essential importance for our community of values", said Iohannis.
At the same time, the head of state emphasized that "for our security, for everyone's security, Ukraine must win". "There can be no peace without fully guaranteeing and restoring the full independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine", Klaus Iohannis pointed out, highlighting the need for support for this country.
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