Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu underscored on Wednesday the importance of strengthening resilience in the Black Sea region, bringing to mind the context generated by the invasion of Ukraine and the impact on food and energy security, according to Agerpres.

He delivered a speech within the international event called „Euro-Atlantic Resilience Forum – Black Sea Perspectives”, namely the session called „Hybrid Threats to the Resilience of Food Supply Chains: Focus on the Black Sea Region,” which was held at the Palace of Parliament.

He stated that the demarches made in view of strengthening Europe’s resilience, at all levels, will allow an efficient action, absorbing shocks, and making efficient the necessary tools of a politics directed toward the future. He mentioned that Romania is militating for the need to support its vicinity, as well as the Eastern and South vicinity of the EU, the Western Balkans. He pointed out that the EU can be globally strong only if it has positive projections within its vicinity. The Minister also talked about the invasion of Ukraine and the immense impact on food and energy security, which proved the importance of strengthening resilience in the Black Sea region, which was the main target of Russia’s aggressive behavior. He brought to mind that this region was the area where Russia tested, for the first time, the disintegration tactics through military aggression against states such as the Republic of Moldova in 1992, Georgia in 2008, Ukraine in 2014 and subsequently, adding that it represents Moscow’s main platform for the hybrid war against the EU and NATO.

The Foreign Affairs Minister highlighted that the current situation lead to important decisions, strengthening resilience and the deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern flank and at the Black Sea. Therefore, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are candidates for the accession to the EU, and Georgia also has the prospect of becoming a member of the EU. Moreover, Finland and Sweden, once neutral states, have decided to start the demarches in view of joining NATO.

Minister Aurescu mentioned that the Summit in Madrid has represented a decisive moment for a stronger and more coherent defence on the Eastern flank.

He stressed that the Summit’s decisions must be fully implemented as soon as possible, taking into account that the Back Sea is known as a region of strategic importance for the Alliance. He mentioned that the region’s entire profile is special and Romania has all the necessary premise to continue the support in view of strengthening the resilience and defence capabilities of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia.

Agerpres