President Iohannis: US soldiers are always very much welcome in Romania

President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday stated that the US soldiers are always "very much welcome" in Romania and that the global movement of troops of the US is meant to support allies on the Eastern Flank of NATO.

He held a press conference at the Cotroceni Palace on Wednesday, on which occasion the journalists asked him about the announcement made by the US in relation to the intention to withdraw some of the US soldiers from Germany.

"I have listened to the US Secretary Mark Esper's statements on the global movement of the US troops very carefully and I understood that the global movement of troops is meant to strengthen the NATO posture, which is very important to us, because this is a movement meant to support the allies on the Eastern Flank of NATO, and we are part of the Eastern Flank. I also found out about the intention to move, by rotation or other procedures, a part of the US troops to the Black Sea area. But all these issues will be discussed under NATO formats, between the military and, to the extent in which clear decisions will be taken that concern us, obviously that we are going to communicate them to you," the head of the state said.

He added that he did say before that there is need for more troops in the Black Sea area.

"What I can tell you right now is that Romania has been saying for years now, and I have been saying, that we need more troops in the Black Sea area. We need increased attention to be paid to the Black Sea area. And if this is all that this movement of troops is about then we are very pleased. And in respect to the US soldiers, I can tell you that they are always very welcome in Romania," Iohannis said.