National Defence Minister Ionut Mosteanu met on Tuesday with Herald Ruijters, Deputy Director-General within the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS) at the European Commission, regarding the implementation of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative.

According to a National Defence Ministry (MApN) release, the discussion took place ahead of the planned visit by DEFIS experts to Bucharest on Wednesday, 15 October, for technical consultations on projects to be funded through this instrument.

Within the meeting, Minister Ionut Mosteanu thanked the European Commission representative for the close expert-level cooperation in implementing the SAFE regulation in Romania, including finalising the national investment plan for the European defence industry. In respect to this process, the progress made at the national level was highlighted, alongside calls for continued strong cooperation in the future.

Moreover, it was expressed Romania’s interest in fully utilizing the SAFE instrument, together with member states and eligible partners.

„Romania aims to fully harness the opportunities offered by the SAFE instrument by involving the national defence industry in strategic areas such as military mobility, air and missile defence, land systems, strategic enablers, individual soldier equipment and maritime systems. We also appreciate the inclusion of drone and counter-drone systems, which are essential in light of recent European initiatives such as Eastern Flank Watch and the European Drone Wall,” Mosteanu said.

The Romanian official emphasized the importance of coordinating member states’ efforts in investment implementation and highlighted the Commission’s significant role in connecting with the defence industries and their development in a comprehensive manner at the European Union level, especially in regions most exposed to military threats.

At the same time, the Romanian Defence Minister underscored the importance of involving the European Union’s closest partners in this initiative, as they can have an essential contribution in speeding up urgent acquisitions, especially to meet the needs of Eastern Flank states. He also highlighted the importance of cooperation with Ukraine in developing military capabilities, by capitalizing on this partner’s experience in terms of innovation and rapid adaptation to high-intensity warfare conditions. AGERPRES