The Ministry of Defense, an official announcement after the information that the US is considering withdrawing its military in Romania: “All bilateral agreements are in force, respected and permanently adapted to the security evolutions in the regional environment”

Our country has not received any official information so far about the possible withdrawal of approximately 10,000 American soldiers from Romania and Poland, the Ministry of National Defense (MApN) announced on Tuesday, April 8, which states that all the bilateral agreements signed in this framework “are in force, are respected and adapted to the regional environment”.

“We mention that the relations between Romania and the United States are based on a solid strategic partnership, based on common values, mutual trust and a consolidated collaboration for more than two decades in key fields, especially regarding regional and Euro-Atlantic security,” the representatives of the MAPN, in a press release.

“Regarding the information that recently published in the public space regarding a possible withdrawal of about 10,000 American soldiers from Romania and Poland, the Ministry of National Defense states that, until now, Romania has not received any official information in this regard from the United States. As such, we cannot formulate an official position in response to information based on press sources,” the institution led by Angel.

“All the bilateral agreements signed in this framework – including those regulating the US military presence in Romania – are in force, are permanently adapted and adapted to the security developments in the regional environment,” the ministry representatives say.

Other details made by MApN:

• “Our partnership with the US is based on transparency, consultation and good faith, and any major decision on the Allied military post is made in the spirit of cooperation and attachment to the values ​​promoted by the Washington Treaty.
• Strategic facilities hosted in the military bases on the territory of Romania, such as the American forces stationed in the rotational system on the 57th Air Base in Mihail Kogălniceanu or the Aegis Ashore missile system installed on the basis of 99 Deveselu, which is integrated into the NATO's missile system, represents clear evidence of the common Romanian-American commitment for the collective security.
• The modernization and extension of the Air Base 57 from Mihail Kogălniceanu, with an investment of the Government of Romania of over 2.5 billion euros, will transform this location into a strategic NATO hub in the region, able to host up to 10,000 Romanian and Allied military.
• Common military exercises, such as “SEA Shield 25”, ongoing in the Black Sea and on the territory of Romania, an exercise in which the US also participates with air surveillance equipment and staff officers, represents an example of Romania's extended cooperation with the Allies. In fact, this year several exercises are planned on the territory of Romania attended by American military, the most important being Saber Guardian 25 – planned by useuom.“

What Ilie Bolojan says

Interim president Ilie Bolojan was asked on a press conference on Tuesday about the possible US withdrawal of 10,000 military, Poland and other Eastern European countries. He denied such a variant at this time, specifying that he also asked for the Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvă, to come out with a public position on this subject.

“There is no discussion and any official information to confirm what you say,” said Ilie Bolojan, asked about a possible withdrawal of the American military.

“We discussed with the Minister of Defense to officially communicate a position of the MApN related to this aspect (…). In the discussion that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had with the Foreign Ministers in Europe, there is no matter to show that the US made a decision related to a discharge on the Flamer,” explained the Flamer.

“Respecting the commitment to NATO does not mean that there can be certain reasons, dislocations, which happens permanently. In Romania, the military presence is on contingents, that is, it means troops,” Bolojan insisted.

At the moment, about 1,700 American soldiers are on a mission.

The largest detachment, by almost 1,400 soldiers, is stationed at the military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu.

At the base of Deveselu there are about 200 soldiers operating the Aegis Ashore missile shield, while at the air base from Câmpia Turzii there are over 100 military.

NBC News wrote on Tuesday, citing six American and European officials that the US Defense Department is discussing up to half of Joe Biden's forces on NATO's East Flank, after Russia's large -scale invasion in Ukraine.

The possible withdrawal concerns the 20,000 soldiers that Joe Biden's administration took place in 2022 to strengthen the defense of the countries on the border with Ukraine, after the Russian invasion. The figures are still in question, but the proposal could involve eliminating up to half of the forces sent by Biden, NBC wrote.

Internal discussions on reducing the number of American troops in Romania and Poland are taking place at a time when President Donald Trump is trying to convince Vladimir Putin to accept a ceasefire, the American television site noted.

The withdrawal of American military from Romania does not necessarily mean the withdrawal of the American presence, but the scenario of a decrease in US troops in our country is a major political signal, Claudiu Deterratu, an expert in international relations, believes.

“It's hard to say something from an official point of view. You have seen that recently it was the US Rotation Ceremony at the Base in Kogălniceanu, so they will remain now … 10,000 soldiers mean all from Eastern Europe and a questionable figure. Then we discuss for time, 10,000 in a year, 10,000 in two years,” the public, ”

He stressed that at present the status of American troops in Romania is not a permanent one, but is changing periodically. A possible withdrawal of American military would mean even decreasing the number of troops coming to our country on a rotational basis.

Tîlvăr: Romania and Bulgaria are actively collaborating to strengthen NATO's eastern flank

On Monday, the Minister of National Defense, Angel Tîlvă, who paid an official visit to Sofia, at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart, Atanas Zaprianov, said that Romania and Bulgaria are actively collaborating to strengthen the eastern flank of NATO.

According to the MAPN, the two officials reaffirmed a common understanding of the risks and threats to the regional security, emphasizing the need to strengthen the collective defense and to develop the common reaction capacities. In this regard, the Romanian Minister of Defense proposed the intensification of the bilateral military exercises, essential to improve the interoperability between the armed forces of the two states.

“Romania and Bulgaria are not only allies in NATO, but also strategic partners, neighbors and RIVERANI to the Black Sea, who share the same objectives in the field of security and defense. In the face of current challenges we must be united, to strengthen our bilateral cooperation in the field of defense and to demonstrate, through concrete actions, that the Eastern Actions is to the NATO. Threats, ”said the minister, according to a statement of the ministry.

The Romanian government official expressed his desire to update the legal framework in the field of defense, to reflect both the current realities of the security context, as well as the consistency and dynamism of cooperation between Romania and Bulgaria.

The two officials “firmly” condemned the war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. In this context, they discussed the necessary measures to strengthen the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, emphasizing effective cooperation within the MCM Black Sea initiative.

Also, the evolution of the common project of the Regional Component Command for Special Operations (HQR-SOCC) was analyzed. In view of the very good collaboration between the three allied states in the Black Sea region, the invitation of Turkey was agreed within the HQR-SOCC, and in the next period the necessary steps in this regard will be taken.

The two ministers also reconfirmed the importance of the military mobility corridors in the region and agreed on the advancement of the projects in this field, the MApN said.