The British Ambassador to Romania, Giles Portman, appreciated on Thursday the decision of the Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) about the donation of a PATRIOT system to Ukraine, stating that through this decision Romania proves that it is a very important and powerful ally.

„I think it is very important [the CSAT decision] and I am very grateful for what Romania has done. This proves that Romania is a very important and strong ally for NATO, for the United Kingdom,” said Ambassador Giles Portman, on the occasion the King’s Birthday event, organized by the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Romania.

He also appreciated the bilateral relations between Romania and Great Britain.

„I think we have had an excellent year in terms of our bilateral relations, for example in the field of trade, in the field of defense or in terms of the fight against organized crime. I also had the opportunity to visit this beautiful country, so we have much to celebrate,” said Giles Portman.

The Minister of Research, Innovation and Digitization, Bogdan Ivan, also participated in the event organized by the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Romania at the BNR Arena.

„His Majesty King Charles III has always shown passion and dedication for public services, protecting the environment and preserving culture. For more than 30 years, King Charles III has been a dear and close friend of Romania through the projects related to the environment and culture. For me, King Charles is one of the greatest ambassadors of Romania and Transylvania in the whole world,” said Minister Bogdan Ivan.

The official King’s Birthday is traditionally held in the United Kingdom every year in mid-June, when the Trooping the Colour parade takes place.

The Supreme Council of National Defense decided on Thursday that Romania should donate a high-range PATRIOT surface-to-air missile system to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The decision was announced through a press release sent by the Presidential Administration after the CSAT meeting, held at the Cotroceni Palace.

The CSAT specified that „this donation is made on the condition of the continuation of our country’s negotiations with its allies, especially with the American strategic partner, in order to obtain a similar or equivalent system, which would meet the need to ensure the protection of the national airspace, to modernize the Army of Romania and ensuring interoperability with the NATO system, being, at the same time, necessary to identify a temporary solution to cover the operational vulnerability thus created”.

AGERPRES