Romania pledges to support Ukraine as long as necessary
Romania's President Klaus Iohannis has pledged to support Ukraine as long as necessary, in a speech marking Navy Day.
Iohannis said that the war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation in Ukraine poses "significant risks" to security in the Black Sea.
He said that Romania would continue to provide military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and would work with its allies to strengthen NATO's presence in the region.
"We are in the vicinity of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and the recent escalations, including the attack on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure on the Danube near our territorial waters and our country, pose significant risks to the security of the Black Sea," Iohannis said.
"Romania will continue to support Ukraine as long as necessary. We will participate in the training of Ukrainian military personnel in the framework of the EU military assistance mission and will host the future regional training HUB for F-16 pilots."
The Navy Day parade took place in Constanta, Romania's main Black Sea port. It featured a display of military hardware, including ships, submarines, and aircraft.
The parade was also attended by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and Minister of National Defence Angel Tîlvăr.
Ciolacu said that the budget allocation for defence has increased from this year to 2.5% of GDP. He assured the military that this level would be maintained in the coming years.
Tîlvăr said that the war in Ukraine shows how important it is for Romania, a country bordering the Black Sea, to have the capabilities to protect its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
He said that the Romanian Naval Forces are a "security provider" in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, and that they can be relied on by their partners.
August 15 is a national holiday in Romania, and is celebrated as Navy Day. It is closely linked to the religious feast of St Mary, patron saint of sailors everywhere.
