Romania, in an independent Europe Europe. General: “We should have another position in relation to at least two states”

European leaders such as the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, are increasingly resolutely, that the EU should give up the nostalgia of the old US relations. General (r) Virgil Blăceanu analyzes how Romania should re-evaluate its interests.

US policy is further and farther from EU interests. Photo: Shutterstock

It is increasingly obvious that the European Union gives up the nostalgia of the old US relationship. The statements of the European leaders made this week were increasingly devoid of a diplomatic style meant not to upset Donald Trump.

In recent months, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has tried to build a close relationship with Trump, praising the efforts of the US president to negotiate a peace agreement for Ukraine and referring to Americans as “indispensable” partners in security and NATO.

Merz changed, at the beginning of the week, the tone in a speech on foreign policy topics. “We must face the reality that our relationship with the US is changing”, he told Berlin Monday. “The US reassesses its interests – and not today, yesterday. So, in Europe, we must adjust our interests, without false nostalgia.” the official continued.

“Merz's comments on Monday are a clear signal that, beyond public praises for Trump, European leaders are preparing discreetly for a future in which the transatlantic alliance will no longer be the foundation stone on which the continent's defense and economy are supported.”the Politico publication shows.

The line of this speech was continued by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday, in his speech on the state of the Union: “Europe is in a fight. The lines of fighting for a new world -based world -based order are drawn right now. So yes, Europe has to fight for its place in a world where many great powers are either ambivalent or open to Europe”.

The diplomatic language of this statement was thus translated, in an analysis by Politico: “We used to stay with – well, behind – the US when we were facing the aggressors Russia and China. But now the US is one of the aggressors, so let's get ready. The US oscillates between being ambivalent and opening to Europe. Sometimes just minutes away.”

“Adevărul” discussed with the reserve general Virgil Bălăceanu, the one who represented Romania at the NATO Command in Brussels and was head of the Southeast Multinational Brigade, about what the EU should do in the context of this re-evaluation of the interests and how Romania should re-evaluate its own interests.

“The EU needs a military pillar”

“If we talk about Europe and the rejection of interests, the European Union lacks an essential pillar of power, namely the military pillar. As long as it does not have this pillar, in addition to the economic pillar, technological research and finance, Europe will not be able to represent its own interests.”the general said.

Asked to what extent Romania should redefine their interests by registering in EU policy or outlining their own foreign policy, in the context of controversies related to the relationship we should have with China, Bălăceanu said: “Up to China, which is certainly a sensitive area, if we speak of an independent foreign policy of Romania, sure respecting some European norms – in the sense of general norms and legislative provisions – Romania should have another positioning in the bilateral relationship with two states. I am referring to Turkey, especially, and Serbia, second. ”

Why? “The geostrategic positioning of Romania, the fact that Romania is a riparian state in the Black Sea, the fact that the Black Sea is blocked by the decision invoking the Montreux Convention by Turkey, the fact that the most powerful rapid reaction body is dislocated and made with most forces by Turkey, the fact that Turkey started to invest in the Romanian Visible, better outlined and with much more concrete programs with Turkey ”, shows Bălăceanu.

The collaboration must be improved especially in the military plan, in the plane of defense and security in the Black Sea, but also in the defense and security on the Southeast Flank of NATO, stresses the general.

“On the other hand, Serbia is a neighbor to us. Either we, in the complex related to the post of defense and discouragement of Romania within NATO, must have normal relationships with all neighbors representing normal relationships and Serbia, why not with Hungary, but things are more complicated here, but not impossible to approach.he details.

“The national interest of Romania is related to the near neighborhoods”

It takes the national interest, and the national interest in terms of Romania's defense and security is related to the close neighborhoods. “They condition many things related to the facility of dislocating NATO forces to the territory of Romania, the construction, and I refer to Turkey, of public structures. The Black Sea needs a permanent fighting group and it can only be achieved under the conditions in which Turkey is a nation,” Bălăceanu argues.

Even if at first we will only have the participation of Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, it would mean a step forward. “Subsequently, maybe Turkey will accept the participation of other states at NATO and this will be done according to the Turkish relationship with the Russian Federation, given that the Russian Federation will continue the war of wear and will not take into account the proposals that came from Turkey for the cessation of the war. And by the relationship that Turkey has with the United States and, last but not least, the relationship that Turkey has with the European Union ”, he completes.

Romania can become a porch for Turkey's interests: “In this way, a balance of Turkey's interest in the EU and of Romania's interest in Turkey, an extremely powerful NATO and which has major determinations regarding the defense and security at the Black Sea level will be achieved.

In the context of the decision announced the last days of the US Department of Defense on the reduction of funds allocated for the training and equipping of the countries on the eastern flank, the former NATO general was asked if Romania should also be prepared for a decrease of the American military.

First of all, he said, the measures concern the funds allocated for the training activities and for other activities related to the acquisition of military technique. “There are no financial measures to lead, at least for the moment, to a reduction in the herds of the American forces present in Romania”stressed the specialist.

What do we do if the number of US military decreases?

Bălăceanu showed that he foreshadowed a decrease of the common training activities such as the joint training with the military structures equipped with Himars, from the 8 artillery brigade, made jointly with the Americans, or those occasioned by the first draws with the Patriot systems, or the training activities for maritime operations performed by the special operations of Romania. These programs have been financially supported by the United States and we can expect a decrease. Bălăceanu argues that adaptation in this context would mean to make money from the budget to finance such exercises, in the context in which the principle will apply that Trump is very attentive to the financial part.

For now, we are not talking about a reduction of American herds in Romania. “If there is also a reduction of the herds, because here I see that the figures differ, at one point the presence of 1,700 Americans in Romania was spoken, most of them on the air basis from Kogălniceanu, that they are also in Deveselu, I am also on the air base in Cluj. But now we are talking about 2-3,000. Activities.”, Details Bălăceanu.

Thus, if we take a hypothetical example according to which the US withdraws half of the dislocated herds in Romania, let's say from 800 soldiers to 1,000-1,500 soldiers. “We will have to find a solution then the solution is represented by France and the NATO combat group in Cincu. And again Romania's bilateral relations with France, including high-level relationships, must determine France and other contributors to the battle group, so that the Fighter Group from Cincu will increase from 1,300 military, to 3,000 to 5,000 military.”, General (r) Virgil Bălăceanu concluded.

Turkey, France and Serbia are therefore priorities of Romania in terms of bilateral relations in the context of redefining geostrategic interests at EU level.