Sweden has a significant contribution to Euro-Atlantic security with its accession to NATO, Romania’s Defence Minister Angel Tilvar said on Monday upon welcoming his Swedish counterpart Pal Jonson and Sweden’s Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

„We are acting together to promote and implement NATO measures on the entire eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance and to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including in terms of preparing our armies for the challenges of the future,” Tilvar is quoted as saying in a press statement released by Romania’s Defence Ministry (MApN).

According to the ministry, among the issues of shared interest addressed were security in the Black Sea and Baltic Sea regions amidst the ongoing Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, cooperation inside NATO, the implementation of the decisions of the Washington Summit and the latest developments in projects developed inside the European Union, such as participation in missions and operations under the aegis of the EU.

Swedish officials thanked Romania for support in the NATO accession process.

Tilvar mentioned the security situation in the area, pointing to the importance of the Mine Countermeasures Black Sea (MCM Black Sea) Task Group, operated together with Turkey and Bulgaria in order to ensure freedom of navigation. The ministers reaffirmed their constant support for Ukraine, which was reiterated both in the declaration of the NATO Summit in Washington and in various multilateral support formats.

Tilvar, Jonson and Bohlin also discussed updating the bilateral legal framework to reflect common interests and the current security context.

Also considered was support for Moldova, with Tilvar stressing the importance of strengthening Moldova’s resilience, especially when taking into account security threats.

AGERPRES