President Iohannis meets heads of US Congress delegation at 3SI Summit

On Thursday, Romania's President Klaus Iohannis had a meeting with US Senators Roger F. Wicker and Ben Cardin, who lead the US Congress delegation at the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the sidelines of the event.

According to a press statement released by the Romanian Presidential Administration on Friday, Iohannis welcomed the firm commitment of the US to the goals and priorities of the Three Seas Initiative, also demonstrated by President Joe Biden sending a substantial message to 3SI with the US Congress delegation attending the summit.

"The President of Romania expressed appreciation for Washington's support for meeting the Initiative's objectives in areas such as the sustainable and competitive economic development of Central and Southeast Europe, consolidating regional interconnectivity, strengthening transatlantic relationships and developing resilience," the Presidential Administration shows.

The chief of state emphasised the importance to Romania of the implementation of the Rail2Sea and Via Carpathia projects and pleaded for a consistent US involvement, including financial involvement, in these projects in order to strengthen its economic presence in the region, especially under such strategic projects. He underscored the need for funding and other major strategic interconnection initiatives at the 3SI level using the mechanisms of the 3SI Investment Fund, whose foundations were laid at the 2018 Bucharest summit.

The Presidential Administration also shows that, in terms of bilateral relations, President Iohannis highlighted the depth and solidity of the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership, as an "essential" pillar of our country's foreign policy, and welcomed the excellent state of Romania - US political and defence co-operation.

"Also, the President of Romania voiced satisfaction with the development of civil nuclear energy and 5G network co-operation between Romania and the US," the source shows.

During the discussion, the "excellent" level of political, economic and defence co-operation between Romania and the US was highlighted, as well as a shared interest in deepening and expanding the strategic partnership, as Romania is one of the most "reliable," "steadfast" and "firm" allies of the United States in the region, says the Presidential Administration.

President Klaus Iohannis participates, on Thursday and Friday, in the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Sofia.