Accompanied by the Chief of the Romanian General Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, and other officials from Bucharest, the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, is visiting the United States these days. A visit with a busy agenda, according to the schedule sent by the Romanian Embassy in the USA, which includes discussions in Washington with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, as well as at the White House, the National Security Council. The agenda also includes meetings with the presidents of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives Commiittee in Armed Services as well as with representatives of the American defense industry and of the strategic reflection and expertise domain.
Last but not least, on the occasion of the visit to the USA, the Romanian delegation will mark 30 years since the establishment of the partnership between the Romanian Armed Forces and the Alabama National Guard. The Romanian officials will travel to the state of Alabama, where, between April 2 and 4, they will have meetings with the governor of the state, and the leadership of the Alabama National Guard, among others. On Thursday minister Angel Tîlvăr had discussions with the American Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, during which the high-ranking American official said that the strategic partnership between the United States and Romania is stronger than ever.
According to a Pentagon statement, Defense Secretary Austin welcomed the excellent relationship between the armies of the two countries. The Pentagon spokesman, General Pat Ryder, said, following the talks between Austin and -Tîlvărthat: quote “Secretary Austin thanked Romania for hosting thousands of U.S. and allied forces to defend NATO’s eastern flank, and for Romania’s leadership role in the Black Sea region. The two leaders also saluted the 30-year anniversary of Romania’s State Partnership Program with the Alabama National Guard. The secretary looks forward to future meetings and opportunities to work with our Romanian allies. Unquote
In a press conference, General Ryder also said that the two defense ministers condemned Russia’s savage war against Ukraine. At the same time, they reiterated their firm support for Ukraine. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin showed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a threat to regional security, Radio Romanias correspondent to Washington reports, and the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, assessed that President Putin was the most significant and direct threat to European, Euro-Atlantic and regional security. The Strategic Partnership between Romania and the U.S. was launched on July 11, 1997, on the occasion of the visit to Bucharest of the U.S. President, Bill Clinton, and ever since it has represented an essential landmark of Romania’s foreign policy. (LS)
