Romania is one of the countries on the front line of NATO’s flank and is particularly concerned about the security consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The government informed it and its allies that it will withdraw a brigade on the eastern front of Europe, Bucharest announced this Wednesday (29), but the United States army assured that this does not amount to a “withdrawal” from the continent. Romania is one of the countries on the front line of NATO’s eastern flank and is particularly concerned about the security consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022 and shows no signs of ending soon. “This is not an American withdrawal from Europe nor a sign of a reduced commitment to NATO and its Article 5”, which stipulates that each of the Alliance’s 32 countries must help a member in the event of an attack, the US army clarified in a statement from its command in Europe.
“On the contrary, it is a positive sign of reinforced European capacity and responsibility”, he added. In the same vein, Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu highlighted in a press conference that “this is not a withdrawal of American forces, but the end of the rotation of a brigade that had units in several NATO countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary”. A NATO official downplayed the announcement and said the organization was informed by the administration of the American president, .
“Even with this adjustment, the presence of American forces in Europe remains greater than in many years, with many more American troops on the continent than before 2022”, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the source told AFP, before highlighting that Washington’s commitment to NATO remains “clear”. According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, “the decision was expected” and is the result of the new priorities of the American presidential administration, announced in February.
However, for the former national security advisor to the Romanian president, George Scutaru, this is “a bad signal sent to Russia”, which could consider that “the Black Sea is not that important for American interests in Europe”. This would encourage Moscow to “try to exert more pressure, in particular on Romania”, he told AFP.
Washington’s decision will “weaken the security” of Romania, a country “on the front line”, estimated in X Phillips Payson O’Brien, American historian and professor at St Andrews University in Scotland. “Wake up, Europe. The United States will not defend you from Russia,” he added.
*With information from AFP
Published by Fernando Dias
