Russia is and will continue to be the immediate and most direct threat to Euro-Atlantic security, President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday, during a press conference, write Agerpres.

The head of state participated in the meeting organized by the prime minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in preparation for the NATO Summit in Vilnius, with the participation of the presidents of Lithuania and Poland, the prime ministers of Albania, Belgium and Norway and the secretary general of NATO, in The Hague , Kingdom of the Netherlands.

„Russia is and will continue to be the most immediate and direct threat to Euro-Atlantic security. Therefore, we must be able and ready to further strengthen our position and continue to provide the necessary support to Ukraine and our most vulnerable partners, especially the Republic of Moldova,” declared President Iohannis at a joint press conference with heads of state, prime ministers and the Secretary General of the Alliance.

Iohannis emphasized that „the Alliance needs a strong, long-term posture, a real advanced defence, capable of responding to all threats”.

„Given our strategic position, Romania is particularly interested in further strengthening the Eastern Flank, through a coherent and unified approach. This means ensuring the necessary forces, structures, capabilities and equipment, as well as the appropriate command and control arrangements,” added the president of Romania.