NATO Deputy Secretary General discusses importance of Black Sea security
Ahead of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Bucharest later this month, Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană today (15 November 2022) thanked Romania for its “strong political, military and diplomatic leadership” in NATO. Mr Geoană was speaking at an event organised by the Romanian Ministry of Defence about the impact of the war in Ukraine on Black Sea security and NATO’s ongoing adaptation through the new Strategic Concept.
Mr Geoană said that for more than two decades the Black Sea region has been a launch pad for Russia’s aggressive actions, which deeply affects key partners like Ukraine, and threatens Allied security. “This is why we reaffirm the strategic importance of the Black Sea region in NATO's new Strategic Concept that our leaders endorsed in Madrid in the Summit last June,” he said.
Since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO has implemented the largest reinforcement of collective defence in a generation. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February this year, NATO has substantially reinforced its presence from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and is increasing the number of high readiness forces across the Alliance to well over 300,000.
“We face the most dangerous and unpredictable security environment in a generation,” said Mr Geoană. NATO “can count on Romania to continue working for a stable and secure Black Sea region and beyond. Just as Romania can count on NATO to remain strong, to remain ready, to remain responsive, to support our partners, protect our people and defend our democratic values,” he concluded.