Romania must move from the phase of helping Ukraine resist to helping Ukraine win the war, Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Coiu told local television Antena 3, BTA reported;
Romania's first diplomat pointed out that Ukraine's resistance reduces risks for Romania.
"We must move from helping Ukraine resist to helping Ukraine win. And this is a very important step. The difference between these words is very important. And I think that in Romania we need to understand more clearly that the resistance that Ukraine is currently putting up, the people it has on the front line, the sacrifices that Ukrainian society is currently making, are part of the elements that are also reducing the risks for Romania. "We must be very clear that when we gave them the Patriot air defense system, it was not only part of the component that saved human lives, including those of Romanians in Chernivtsi, for example, and of Ukrainians, but it also did not make Romania's defense vulnerable. So we are not only as strong as before, but also better protected, as long as there are resources to stop and reverse Russia's attack," Minister Oana Coiu told Antena 3, quoted by the news website News.ro.
Romania donated a Patriot surface-to-air missile system of Ukraine in September last year.
Asked if Romania would help Ukraine with money, weapons or military, Oana Coișu explained that “so far Ukraine has not requested assistance and Romania has not made a decision to send personnel there“.
"What are we helping with right now? We are a training base for F-16 pilots and there is an international team that provides this necessary training and it is conducted on Romanian territory. We want to increase this component, where Romania becomes a training base. It is very clear, not only for Romania but also for other EU member states, that we can also learn from the things that the Ukrainian army has developed in this war, for example the use of drones, including what joint investments in their construction mean,“ the Romanian Foreign Minister added.
On November 13, 2023 The European F-16 Fighter Pilot Training Center has begun operations at a Romanian air base near Fetești (Ialomița County, southeastern Romania). The center was opened on the basis of a cooperation agreement, through which the Romanian Ministry of Defense provides Air Base 86 "Lieutenant Aviator Gheorghe Moșornitsa" near Fetești with training facilities and support as a host country, the Royal Netherlands Air Force provides F-16 aircraft, and the American company "Lockheed Martin" provides instructors and support. Ukrainian pilots are also trained at the center.