My taxes were used in the most fitting way possible. Romania, through President Klaus Iohannis, signed the final documents for the complete transfer of a Patriot anti-missile system to our incredibly resilient friends and neighbors in Kyiv.
Romania now joins a select group of NATO countries that have either sent or will send fully functional Patriot systems to Ukraine, including the United States and Germany, while the Netherlands and other allies will contribute elements to assemble fully functional Patriot systems.
This development follows repeated requests from President Zelenskyy for seven more such systems to help prevent Russian aircraft from coming close enough to drop glide bombs on civilians and critical infrastructure and to intercept missiles. Recent days have seen huge damage to people and property from Russian attacks often targeted at civilians.
This is a significant moment for Romanians, not only for our bilateral relations with Ukraine — which have not always been easy over the past decade — but also as a continuation of our foreign policy as a reliable and stable NATO ally.
Romanians understand all too well what it means to have Russians in our country. I recall growing up with stories from my grandfather about the brief Soviet occupation of Romania from 1944 until the end of the war in 1945, and the subsequent imposition of the criminal communist regime by Soviet tanks.
Tales of brutality, rape, and theft — much of what we’ve seen in Ukraine since 2014, and especially since their failed attempt to capture Kyiv — are deeply ingrained in our collective memory.
So Russia finds little affection in Romania, something worsened by its hybrid war against us since at least 2014, if not earlier.
We Romanians are not as naïve as some of our Western allies in believing that Russia can be a reliable partner. Over the past years, many prominent politicians have identified Russia as the gravest threat to our security and democracy. That’s one reason why Romania is fully independent of Russian energy and resources. We have always understood who the Russians are and have consistently cried wolf at NATO summits and European Union councils, because the wolf always was, and remains, hungry for more. The Baltic states and Poland have supported our stance, and vice versa.
We are also well aware that Russia spreads widespread misinformation and disinformation on social networks and in the public sphere through certain prominent political figures.
It is important to note that Romanians are overwhelmingly pro-US, pro-European Union, and particularly pro-Ukraine.
Had Romania not joined NATO in 2004, both I and millions of other Romanians often reflect on how things might have turned out. We look at the situation faced by our Moldovan counterparts (most of them Romanian speakers.) Since the beginning of Russia’s illegal and criminal war against peaceful and sovereign Ukraine, Romania has stood out as a reliable neighbor and staunch supporter of NATO’s decisions to provide Ukraine with weapons, ammunition, and financial aid.
Is there more to do? There is. Russian drones are entering Romanian airspace all too often and Russian mines are floating in the Black Sea. But Romania is now building NATO’s biggest air base at Mihai Kogălniceanu near Constanta on the coast, and Romanian minehunters are working with Bulgaria and Turkey to disable drifting mines threatening shipping.
Once again, we, Romanians, understand that a strong, prosperous, and secure Romania cannot exist without Ukraine’s victory in this unjust war started by Russia. Ukraine’s security is inseparably linked to Romania’s security, and their prosperity is essential to our own.
Why am I so happy? Because this Patriot system will save tens, hundreds, and perhaps even thousands of lives in Ukraine. I’m pleased that the overwhelming majority of Romanians support this decision and wish to continue providing aid to Ukraine, including Soviet ammunition, MiG aircraft parts, equipment, missile systems, and more.
Finally, September 5, 2024, marks a historic day for Romania and its people as we proudly continue to contribute to Ukraine’s defense by transferring the Patriot system (any day now), a significant step in our role as a steadfast NATO ally. This decision highlights Romania’s commitment to supporting Ukraine amid Russia’s criminal actions and ongoing hybrid warfare.
Our shared history of Soviet occupation and the brutality our people remember reinforces our solidarity with Ukraine, echoing our resolve against Russian threats.
Eusebiu Slavitescu is a former Romanian diplomat with expertise in European law and diplomacy. He holds advanced degrees from the University of Pantheon-Assas (Paris) and the University of Paris-Saclay. His experience includes leading the Consular Section at the Romanian Embassy in Tunisia and Libya and serving as a counselor to the State Secretary within the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He currently works in European public administration.”
Europe’s Edge is CEPA’s online journal covering critical topics on the foreign policy docket across Europe and North America. All opinions expressed on Europe’s Edge are those of the author alone and may not represent those of the institutions they represent or the Center for European Policy Analysis. CEPA maintains a strict intellectual independence policy across all its projects and publications.
