(Bloomberg) – It is an “illusion” to expect relations between Russia and the West to return to their pre-war state shortly after the end of fighting in Ukraine, as the Kremlin decided to create a buffer. between it and NATO, the Romanian prime minister said.
Nicolae Ciuca, a retired general who once led combat forces in Iraq, said Russia’s invasion has reopened a Cold War-like civilizational divide, and that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will want to increase its troop presence on its eastern border at least for the medium term. term.
While he said he did not believe Russia would attack a NATO country, prompting an open showdown, the existing war has shown more than a decade of warnings from eastern alliance members that President Vladimir Putin is determined to regain territory he once controlled through Russia. Soviet Union. Trade union.
“Russia doesn’t think like we do. Russia does not behave like us,” Ciuca, 55, said in an interview in his Bucharest on Tuesday. and democratic countries and autocratic regimes. “
Romania, a former communist country of nearly 19 million people that joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union three years later, has become a frontline country for Ukraine since Russia’s Attack on Feb. 24.
Ukrainian line
Its 624-kilometer (388-mile) border with Ukraine is the EU’s longest and the country rushed to rebuild railways and renovate ports so that Ukrainian exports avoid the Russian profession and the blockade of Black Sea ports. millions of refugees who have crossed the border to escape the conflict.
However, considerations are intensifying that pressure from richer Western countries on Russia through sanctions and the continued flow of arms and monetary aid to Ukraine may diminish as winter approaches, and the restriction of Russian fuel flows is driving up energy prices. a Ciuca, the tension must not weaken.
If the Russians “do not need to prevent as soon as possible and negotiate, find a solution, recognize the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Ukraine, they will do the same with other countries,” he said.
Ciuca’s government plans to increase Romania’s defense spending target above the NATO-mandated ground to 2. 5 percent of gross domestic product. About a third of that cash will be used to obtain weapons, adding fighter jets, submarines, corvettes, armored fighting cars and drones, he said. Said.
“We are ready”
Following NATO’s resolve to increase its troop presence on its eastern flank, Romania is now also home to a multinational battle group of French, Belgian and Dutch soldiers, as well as an American contingent, which, according to Ciuca, underscores the growing strategic importance of the Black Sea. Region.
“It’s not just about defense, it’s about food security” on a global scale, he said. are welcome. “
Ciuca also said it hoped Romania, after more than a decade of waiting, would gain access to the Schengen domain without an EU passport before the end of the year, a step that would generate long waits at Romania’s borders with other EU states and encourage its appeal to foreign investors. Brussels will also leave a regime that monitors Romania’s progress in reforming its judicial system and eliminating corruption, he said, after years of complaints from the EU executive.
“Everything we have done since the beginning of the clash shows that we are in a position to become Schengen members,” Ciuca said. “We hope all other EU leaders will recognise everything we have done. “
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