Consolidation of Allied presence and defence capabilities in the Black Sea region

Consolidation of Allied presence and defence capabilities in the Black Sea region

On Wednesday, November 12th, Minister of National Defence, Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu, met, as part of the Distinguished Visitors Day of the DACIAN FALL 2025 Exercise, with Matthew Whitaker, the US Ambassador to NATO, and with General Christopher Donahue, Commander of NATO Land Forces Command and of US Army Europe and Africa. The activity was also attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Țoiu, Minister of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Radu Miruță, and the Presidential Advisor for National Security, Marius Gabriel Lazurca.

The talks focused on the practical aspects of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States of America, the main directions for a consolidated allied presence in Romania, as well as on strengthening the defence and deterrence posture on NATO's Eastern Flank.

Minister Moșteanu has emphasized the fact that the United States remains the main supplier of military equipment and advanced capabilities for the Romanian Armed Forces, while constant cooperation contributes decisively to strengthening defence capabilities, including in the field of air protection and response to emerging threats.

At the same time, the officials stressed the importance of joint training and increased interoperability between Romanian and allied forces, through integrated exercises and complex scenarios that replicate live combat conditions. Close cooperation with NATO's land structures and operational coordination with LANDCOM enable an efficient integration of strategic planning and a rapid response to security challenges in the Black Sea region.

A key topic of discussion was the Eastern Sentry initiative, meant to build a coherent air and missile defence architecture from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, enhancing the mobility, interoperability and protection of the airspace of Romania and its allies in the region.

"Romania remains a responsible, predictable ally and an active contributor to collective security. We will continue to invest in modern capabilities, consolidate our strategic presence and actively support the Alliance in ensuring regional stability and the security of NATO's Eastern Flank," the Minister of National Defence stated.

Ambassador Matthew Whitaker praised the fruitfulness of the Strategic Partnership between the US and Romania, reiterated the US commitment to the security of NATO's Eastern Flank, and highlighted the progress made by European allies in terms of defence spending and the generation of deterrence and defence capabilities. "A stronger Romania, in a stronger Europe, makes the United States stronger," the US official concluded.

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DACIAN FALL 2025 is one of the most complex multinational exercises on the Eastern Flank, bringing together more than 5,000 troops and approximately 1,200 means of equipment from 10 allied states, with land, air and cyber components integrated into a unified deterrence architecture. DAFA25 aims to operationally integrate the participating forces provided by contributing nations, mainly France and Romania, and marks the temporary scale up of the NATO Battle Groups in Romania and Bulgaria to brigade-size units.

The Press Office