Security measures against the ‘Russian aggression’ and the cooperation in the area of the Black Sea were high on the agenda of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s meeting with the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu in Washington on Monday, the US Department of State informed.
Both Blinken and Aurescu emphasized how important it is to address the common threats and challenges and to strengthen defense and energy ties in line with the US-Romania Strategic Partnership.
They both agreed to collaborate on Black Sea security issues and Russian aggression against Ukraine and others on NATO’s Eastern Flank and affirmed the desire to enhance energy security in Europe, with Blinken praising Romania as a stalwart NATO Ally.
The Romanian Foreign Ministry has also issued statement with regard to the meeting, pointing that it reaffirmed the firm commitment of both the United States and Romania to further consolidate and deepen their strategic partnership by intensifying the political and diplomatic dialogue as well as by bilateral co-operation on regional and global challenges.
The political consultations between Blinken and Aurescu have also marked the opening of the seventh round of the US – Romania Strategic Dialogue for the implementation of the Joint Declaration for the 21st Century Strategic Partnership between both countries.
The Strategic Dialogue, scheduled for Tuesday, is the first since 2018 and first such meeting with the Biden Administration.
Among the conclusions of the meeting are the need to strengthen co-operation in the political and security and defence areas and the need for credible deterrence and response matching the challenges facing the Black Sea which is essential to Euro-Atlantic security – especially in relation to Ukraine.
Aurescu has underlined Romania’s desire to contribute substantially to the future US Black Sea Security Strategy the Biden Administration is currently developing, which was welcomed by the American side, and has also pointed out the importance of close coordination during the negotiations over NATO’s New Strategic Concept, which is to be adopted at a June 2022 NATO summit in Madrid.
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