Consolidation of North Atlantic cooperation all the more necessary, justified (Defence General Staff head)

The head of the Defence General Staff, Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu, stated, on Monday, that a consolidation of the North Atlantic cooperation "is all the more necessary and justified" in the current security context.

"In the current security context, the consolidation of the North Atlantic cooperation is all the more necessary and justified. The Strategic Partnership with the United States and the commitment of the American forces to consolidate security in the Black Sea region remain the main pillars of Romania's defence and security," said Petrescu, present at the Air Base in Boboc.

The airfield of the Boboc Air Base is hosting, on Monday, a sequence of the Swift Response 21/Defender Europe 21 multinational exercise, which includes airborne insertion activities conducted by American, Polish, Dutch, German and Romanian paratroopers.

In this context, the head of the Defence General Staff hailed the contribution and involvement of the servicemen of the Polish, German and Dutch armies.

"Their presence in the multinational airborne structure proves that joint training during peacetime can transform into a common response in crisis situation," stated Daniel Petrescu.

"This exercise targets increasing the operational capacity and interoperability. It is associated with the NATO Steadfast Defender 21 exercise which focuses on consolidating the discouragement and defence posture of the Euro-Atlantic space. (...) The Romanian Armed Forces, through the planning started last year, are acting during the Dacia series of exercises, both the Defender Europe component, through training in the context of the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership, as well as the Steadfast Defender 21 component, through the sequences of training of Romanian forces together with NATO forces. This confirms the capacity of Romania, of our army, to employ its capabilities in defense operations, as well as through the permanent availability of the Alliance and of the American strategic partner to rapidly deploy to our country credible forces to accomplish defence if need be. In the context of the conduct of this series of exercises, the Romanian Army demonstrates that it is able to accomplish its mission to defend the country, as well as the security obligations assumed within NATO, the EU and as part of strategic partnerships," the head of the Defence General Staff also said.