Romania and the Ukrainian crisis

The head of Romanian diplomacy, Bogdan Aurescu, said Romania is not in danger of being involved in a military conflict with the Russian Federation

Leyla Cheamil, 07.02.2022, 13:50

The Russian-Ukrainian crisis has sparked international tensions but Kiev and the Western powers put their hopes in a diplomatic solution and are coordinating their efforts to find it. Russia, on the other hand, says it has no intention to invade Ukraine. Nevertheless, Moscow continues to dispatch troops at the common border, which has prompted the US to send another contingent on NATO’s eastern flank.

As NATO member and neighbor of Ukraine in the north and east, Romania is concerned with the prospect of war. The head of the Romanian diplomacy, Bogdan Aurescu, said in a TV show that, if Russia invades Ukraine, it will be responded. ˮWe have already prepared for this response and the Russian Federation should be aware that this is not something to be desired. On the one hand, this is a response from NATO, through a proportional but consistent consolidation of its eastern flank and on the other hand, a response from the European Union, through a very robust and substantial set of sanctionsˮ, Aurescu said. According to the Romanian official, these sanctions are economic, are related to the financial and commercial sector and are directed against individuals involved in decision making.

The Foreign Minister also said that at present Romania is not at risk of being involved in a military conflict with the Russian Federation, in spite of possible evolutions in its vicinity. He explained that ˮthere is a very strong security umbrella in place, which offers all possible guarantees for the security and stability of Romania and of its citizens, namely, the country s NATO membership and its very solid Strategic Partnership with the United States. ˮ

Aurescu also talked about the anti-missile shield in Deveselu (south), saying is not a threat. According to Aurescu, the Russian Federation has constantly said that the anti-missile shield in Deveselu has an offensive purpose and that Tomahawk offensive missiles have been or could be installed there in no time. ˮIt is a purely defensive system, which has nothing to do with the Russian Federation, because the types of interceptors there are against ballistic missile inbounds from outside the Euro-Atlantic area, from the Middle Eastˮ, Aurescu explained. He also said the missile-defense system in Deveselu is a type that does not allow for offensive missiles to be installed and its interceptors cannot be replaced with other types of missiles. (EE)