Romania and the United Kingdom have intensified their efforts to ensure a firm and efficient response to the security situation in the Black Sea region, thus strengthening the deterrence and defense posture in the face of regional and global security challenges, National Defence Minister Angel Tilvar declared at a meeting on Wednesday with British ambassador in Bucharest Giles Matthew Portman.

„The defence cooperation agreement with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has reaffirmed the importance of our Strategic Partnership and has opened new opportunities for strengthening bilateral military relations,” Tilvar emphasized, as cited in a Defence Ministry release.

According to the cited source, the talks focused on key aspects related to Black Sea security, strengthening the defence dimension of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as deepening cooperation within allied structures.

A major point on the agenda was the reinforcement of defence and deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank, with a particular focus on the Black Sea area, given the current security challenges, the Defence Ministry said, noting that Angel Tilvar highlighted the positive impact the November 2024 Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in London with British Secretary of State for Defence John Healey has on strengthening regional security and joint commitments within NATO.

Also, the minister expressed Romania’s intention to continue developing the Strategic Partnership with the United Kingdom through actively engaging in joint security and defence initiatives, providing support to Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression, and stepping up assistance for the Republic of Moldova in order to bolster stability and security in the region.

On November 13, 2024, Minister Tilvar and the British Secretary for Defence signed in London a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening the long-term partnership between Romania and the United Kingdom and responding to the current security challenges.

The document consolidates and expands the existing good relations in the field of defence in order to jointly address current strategic issues, with mutual benefits for the two Armies, the Romanian Defence Ministry said.

The agreement covers logistics and defence support, technology, procurements and capability development, resource planning, communications and IT, countering hybrid threats, military exercises, international operations under UN mandate, arms control, training and military education.

AGERPRES