ForMin Aurescu expresses Romania's concern over deployment of Russian troops at Ukraine's eastern border

At an extraordinary joint meeting of NATO ministers of foreign affairs and defence on Wednesday, head of the Romanian diplomacy Bogdan Aurescu, expressed Romania's concern over the deployment of Russian troops and equipment in Crimea, at the eastern border of Ukraine and in the Black Sea in general.

According to Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE), the meeting took place in the context of concluding the analysis of the new US administration on the future of the US and NATO military presence in Afghanistan and outlining decisions on this issue, as well as worrying security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood.

"The Romanian side appreciated the way the US tackles the whole Afghan issue, both in terms of dialogue and coordination with the allies, and in terms of intra-Afghan peace negotiations. At the same time, he highlighted Romania's long-standing commitment so far to the stability and security of Afghanistan and underlined the need to take into account the security interests of the NATO and Afghanistan, as well as the importance of maintaining solidarity and NATO unity," reads the MAE release.

Against this background, following NATO talks, the NATO ministers of foreign affairs and defence adopted a joint declaration of the North Atlantic Council deciding to end the Resolute Support Mission and to withdraw the NATO troops from May 1, 2021.

Part of the talks was also the recently created security situation in the Eastern Neighbourhood. The attending NATO ministers expressed concern over recent developments and a significant increase in the presence of Russian troops in illegally occupied Crimea and on Ukraine's eastern border.

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, highlighted Romania's main position on supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. At the same time, he expressed Romania's concern over the deployment of Russian troops and equipment in Crimea, at the eastern border of Ukraine and the Black Sea in general. He also underscored the need for NATO to carefully assess the security situation and, in particular, its implications for Euro-Atlantic security, as well as for continued measures to ensure deterrence and defence in the Black Sea region," according to MAE.