Romanian Foreign Minister Ţoiu: Eastern Flank and Maritime Security Our Priority at Ankara Summit

Acting Foreign Minister of Romania Oana Ţoiu announced her country's core priorities ahead of the summit to be held in Ankara. In her statement on Monday, Ţoiu emphasized that maritime security and Eastern Flank security are Romania's top priorities at the summit. She also noted that reaffirming the commitment to collective security from a transatlantic perspective is seen as an extremely important goal. These statements clearly outline Romania's strategic position and defense priorities at a time of rising regional security concerns. The Minister stated that maintaining solidarity among allies also plays a critical role in this process.

The unjustified and unprovoked war initiated by Russia against Ukraine continues to create deep security concerns for countries in the region. Ţoiu stated that another important goal for Romania is to support Ukraine's resilience in the face of this aggression. It was noted that the uninterrupted continuation of allied support is essential for maintaining regional stability. Romania is pursuing an active diplomacy and defense policy to minimize the risks caused by the ongoing conflict at its borders. The Minister added that it is of vital importance for the international community and NATO allies to display a decisive stance on this matter.

The primary expectation for Romania regarding the end of the war is the establishment of a lasting and sustainable peace. Ţoiu explicitly stated that concluding the ongoing conflict on its borders with a sustainable peace agreement is Romania's greatest security interest. She expressed her belief that temporary and fragile ceasefires will not bring long-term stability to the region. Therefore, Romania is intensifying its diplomatic efforts towards achieving a permanent solution. It was emphasized that sustainable peace is also considered an indispensable prerequisite for the overall security of the European continent.

The summit to take place in Ankara stands out as a critical platform where NATO allies will discuss their joint security strategies. Romania attaches special importance to enhancing maritime security in the Black Sea region. As the Black Sea is a vital body of water not only for Romania's strategic security but also for that of all allies. Furthermore, enhancing the defense capabilities of the Eastern Flank is seen as a critical requirement to eliminate threats at the alliance's eastern borders. Romanian officials hope that this summit will lead to concrete steps that will strengthen the concept of collective defense.

The strength of transatlantic ties and the principle of collective defense constitute one of the cornerstones of Romania's foreign policy vision. Minister Ţoiu implied that any weakening in security cooperation between Europe and North America would be intolerable. The clear and vocal reaffirmation of the collective security commitment at the Ankara summit holds great symbolic meaning for building trust among allies. Romania will continue to contribute to maintaining regional and international peace by assuming its role within the alliance in this regard. It is believed that such high-level summits and the decisions to be made will be decisive in preventing potential future crises.