Romania touted as NATO’s ‘next strategic frontier’ Ukraine crisis shows

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The build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border has injected new life and purpose into NATO not seen in a generation, according to an analysis published Saturday.

Deployments

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demand that the military alliance scale back its deployments in Eastern Europe has had the opposite effect, it said.

More troops have been sent to Poland, Romania, and the Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

Russia’s actions have focused attention in Western capitals more than any other event spurring discussion about future plans of the alliance, according to an opinion piece in Small Wars Journal.

In recent weeks, additional NATO resources been dispatched to eastern allies, the author JD Fuller, a serving NATO officer with East European experience wrote.

French-led battle group

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg on Feb. 11 announced plans for a permanent deployment of a French-led battle group to Romania, along with commitments in Bulgaria, Czechia and Hungary.

Romania does not share a border with Russia and was never part of the Soviet Union, so is outside Moscow’s direct sphere of influence, unlike Ukraine or the Baltic states. H

But Romania is seen as a buffer against insecurity in the region.

It borders Ukraine, Serbia and Moldova, three of Europe’s most unstable countries, and the Black Sea.

Jigsaw puzzle

Romania “is a central piece in the jigsaw puzzle of European security,” the article said.

Serbia has caused alarm in recent months by supporting the efforts of Republika Srpska, the Serbian component of neighboring Bosnia, to break away from the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords.

The European parliament recently called for sanctions against the Republika Srpska leader, Milorad Dodik, who regularly incites nationalist hatred on social media while labeling the long-term peace agreement null.

Kremlin

Serbia and Russia have close ties and the Kremlin delivered 60 armored vehicles last month, promising more military support in the future.

Neighboring Moldova has the pro-Russian breakaway regions of Trans-Dniester and Gagauzia.

Moscow has military assets throughout their territories in exchange for financial and diplomatic top cover.

Moldovans favor stronger ties with Romania and the EU,  but the country of 3 million is notoriously unstable due to breakaway regions which that are supported by Moscow.

Black Sea

Romania has a 245-kilometer Black Sea coastline, in one of the militarized waterways  in the world.

Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Black Sea has seen an  including several recent stand offs between NATO and Russian fleets.

Romania also has 1,000 kilometers of the Danube River, one of Europe’s key arteries which. Has been used to  transport troops and equipment.

Ukraine crisis

The Ukraine crisis and the build-up of Russian troops has brought forward the permanent deployment of troops to Romania. This is “something that could bolster security in the region and forge even closer bonds between the western and eastern halves of Europe.

VIDEO | Regional security situation ‘very worrisome’ as Romania reinforces defenses in case of Russian invasion of Ukraine -FM

 

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