Extended NATO – EU cooperation

To continue to develop their cooperation in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the European Union and NATO signed, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, a new Joint Declaration, the third one, after those of 2016 and 2018. Cooperation is more important as ever, said the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, after signing the document, and stated that the partnership between the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union must continue to be strengthened. “The regime in Moscow wants a different Europe. It wants to control its neighbors. And it sees democracy and freedom as a threat. This will have long-lasting consequences for our security. So, we must continue to strengthen the vital transatlantic bond in NATO. We must continue to strengthen the partnership between NATO and the European Union. And we must further strengthen our support to Ukraine.” said the NATO official.

In turn, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, emphasized that Ukraine must receive all the military equipment it needs to defend its territory, including advanced anti-aircraft defense systems, as long as necessary.

And the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, recalled that the Europeans were the first to supply military equipment to Kyiv, shortly after the outbreak of the conflict, and spoke about the unity of the North Atlantic Alliance. According to him, the European Union and NATO share the same values. They have the same goals in terms of democracy and economic strategy. The war started by Russia has many consequences, it affects both the EU and NATO, so they must be together, stand united and strong against Russia, said the European official.

From Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis welcomed the signing of the third joint declaration of cooperation between NATO and the European Union and reiterated Romania’s strong support for the consolidation of the security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic area.

„Romania reaffirms its conviction that solidarity and cooperation are the key elements for the defense of security and our common values. We are stronger together!’, the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă also said.

And the Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, stated that Bucharest, one of the regional actors most interested in the success of NATO-EU cooperation, will continue to bring a substantial contribution to the implementation of the new priorities and directions of action that the Declaration put forward. „In the current security context, marked by the effects of the war of aggression launched by Russia against Ukraine, the move of the two organizations represents a substantial message regarding the attachment of NATO and the EU to the democratic values and spirit” writes a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest.

(Daniela Budu, Radio Romania International)