Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says Romania, Bulgaria are “crucial partners for Europe’s security and stability” ahead of a visit to the EU and NATO members where talks will focus on common security and defense capability.
Wadephul is scheduled to meet Romania’s Foreign Minister Oana Toiu on Tuesday morning where they will discuss support for Ukraine with which Romania shares a 640-kilometer border.
“Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Romania, which is situated at NATO’s eastern flank, has been particularly important for our joint defense at the Black Sea,” he said.
“Romania has repeatedly been the target of Russian disinformation campaigns, but also of other hybrid threats, most recently drones,” he said.
“Russia’s aggression is being directly felt in Romania, most recently when Russian drones violated its airspace. Such attacks on the sovereignty of a NATO partner are unacceptable. Germany stands by Romania’s side – with our Eurofighters, which are policing the skies over south-eastern Europe alongside Romanian jets. We are firmly resolved to work with Romania to protect and defend Europe.
The German foreign minister held talks with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev Monday on EU enlargement and its imminent accession to the euro area. He said that Bulgaria could serve as an important guide for the countries of the Western Balkans in their own paths to EU membership.
“Bulgaria shows how closely linked security and integration are. Its forthcoming accession to the euro area sends a clear signal of stability – for Sofia and for the whole of Europe. Bulgaria knows how challenging, but also how rewarding, the path towards Europe is. Bulgaria’s experience is a compass for the countries of the Western Balkans, whose Foreign Ministers I met in Belfast just last week. That meeting made clear once again that EU enlargement is not a technical issue. It is valuable; it is vital for security policy; and it also makes economic sense,” he said.
Kremlin says Moldova has ‘made mistake’ by turning it into enemy
