Russia's attacks on the Danube, not accidental, strengthening of NATO presence is welcome (PM)

Russia's attacks on the Ukrainian ports on the Danube "are not accidental", in the context in which more than half of the grain export from the neighbouring country transits Romania by sea, prime minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Friday, in a message sent to the participants of Bucharest Security Conference, read by Nicolae Comanescu, state adviser for foreign policy and strategic affairs within the Prime Minister's Office.

"Russian attacks in the vicinity of our territory alarmingly increase the risks of incidents and escalation. It is clear that Russia will continue to pressure merchant ships and impose no-go zones in the Black Sea. It is important to reflect on how NATO will prepare for the scenario in which Russia's (attacks, ed. n.) will escalate in Romania, in the region of the Black Sea and the Danube. For the moment, the consolidation of the allied advanced presence on the Eastern Flank is welcome, following the summits in Madrid and Vilnius and especially the most recent additions," emphasized Ciolacu, in the message.

According to the prime minister, currently, the Euro-Atlantic allies are facing tensions in the Middle East, where the "ISIS-type terror campaign" against Israel is "a good omen for Moscow".

"Instead of focusing exclusively on Russian threats, sanctions and support for Ukraine, the Euro-Atlantic allies are facing tensions in the Middle East, which have a threatening potential to spread to Europe. There are already terrorist attacks in Europe, and the secret services increase the level of vigilance to the maximum. Also, there is the specter of another wave of refugees from the Middle East towards Europe, with all the known negative impact on the internal politics of the European states," Marcel Ciolacu said.

There is a fake news campaign regarding the war in Gaza, "which is echoed in Russia's aggressive disinformation campaign that took place in Europe, at the beginning of the military aggression in Ukraine," the prime minister added.

"Romania will play its role within the European and Euro-Atlantic diplomatic community, to bring together Israel and the Arab countries that have the same beliefs as this state. They must have a more intense dialogue and coordinate against terrorism and its financiers," the prime minister stressed.