Minister of National Defence, at the North Atlantic Council working dinner with the Indo-Pacific Four

Minister of National Defence, at the North Atlantic Council working dinner with the Indo-Pacific Four

On Tuesday, July 7th, Minister of National Defence attended the North Atlantic Council working dinner - as part of the NATO Summit in Ankara - alongside partner nations from the Indo-Pacific region (the IP4: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea).

Gathered in Ankara, Allied leaders reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the Alliance's core mission - collective defence, in accordance with Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty - as well as their commitment to strengthening the European pillar within NATO ("a Stronger Europe in a Stronger NATO"), a commitment that entails increased, equitable burden - sharing among Allies. Continued support for Ukraine also remained a priority on NATO's agenda (including through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirement List/PURL mechanism), with defence ministers once again reaffirming their backing in this regard.

On this occasion, the Minister of National Defence emphasized: "In addition to the decision to maintain increased defence spending, Romania has taken concrete steps to restart military production, by signing industrial cooperation contracts for five production facilities over the past year. Regarding the drone threats on the Eastern Flank, Romania has learned its lesson and has contracted anti-drone defence systems, viewing the request for temporary Allied support pending their delivery as legitimate. From Romania's perspective, Russia remains a long-term threat, and we support strengthening the European pillar within NATO. We are determined, at Allied level, to demonstrate credibility, unity, and solidarity, ensuring we possess the necessary tools, forces, and capabilities to deter any aggression and, if needed, defend ourselves against any threat."

The participation of partners from the Indo-Pacific region (IP4) demonstrated the interconnectedness of global security challenges and the need for concrete steps to address them by enhancing defence industry cooperation, including through the adoption of new technologies.

The Press Office