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UPDATE 22:10 Klaus Iohannis makes statements:
- I talked with the president of the United States of America, Mr. Joe Biden. The visit also coincides with an anniversary moment for Romania – it has been 20 years since we became a NATO member state. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Alliance.
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We discussed the strategic partnership between our countries, how we can make it stronger and how we can deepen it to meet the challenges we face in this complicated context. I thanked President Biden for the substantial US contribution to ensuring the security of Romania and the eastern flank and recognizing the importance of the Black Sea. The presence of American troops on the territory of our country represents a factor of importance and stability not only for Romania but also for the entire region.
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Both Romania and the USA share the objective of strengthening bilateral relations, recognizing the relationship we have in several fields, the list is very long. We also talked about the admission of Romania to the Visa Waiver, an important aspect for all Romanian citizens, our objective is to fulfill all the conditions for inclusion in this program and we are confident that it will happen in the not too distant future.
- We obviously also discussed the preparation of the anniversary summit in Washington in July of this year and Romania’s objectives there. It is important that transatlantic unity and coordination be reconfirmed at this meeting. In addition to our consistent and consistent support to Ukraine, it is essential that we continue to strengthen our defense and deterrence posture on the eastern flank and have a strengthened approach to security in the Black Sea.
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Romania will continue to support Ukraine, our common priority of both the EU and the US is not to allow Russia to win the war in Ukraine.
- (in relation to NATO candidacy) And this point was touched upon in our tete-a-tete discussion and we decided to continue the dialogue.
- (Visa Waiver) There are a lot of technical discussions, you know that the Visa Waiver is not a political discussion, it is based on statistical data, our MFA and the embassy are acting seriously, we can have legitimate hope that this matter will be resolved in the near future.
- (The war in Ukraine) Romania is doing extremely well with the decision of 2.5% of GDP for defense, there are many allies who are very far from even 2%: as tensions increase, the discussion will resume and it will be necessary and this is what I also said in the discussion with President Biden, we have to be very clear and see that our defense industries have to increase production, otherwise we cannot cope.
- (talks with Republicans) It’s customary for the president to meet with the administration in office, and that’s what we did. I would mention a few objectives – strengthening the Eastern Flank. We have those battle groups, we have troops, but, in my opinion, it is not enough, deterrence is also needed, but this does not mean bringing more soldiers, but being equipped, having sufficient production. You are well aware that aid to Ukraine is gasping for air in a sensitive area – defense missiles. Deterrence means getting stronger, and for that we need to allocate more money to the defense industry. Things go much further, if we want a functional system on the eastern flank, it must have adequate logistical coverage, for fuel for example. The Black Sea Strategy – the war is there, not in another region. Ultimately, we must reach a peace that also satisfies Ukraine’s goals.
- (candidacy to NATO) These discussions are not made public, and I’m not going to say what President Biden said. But the discussion was not long, it was relatively short. There is a risk that there will not be consensus and that is why I think it is very good to have two candidates, two candidates generally considered acceptable because a strong organization also needs strong competitions and in the end one of the two will be elected future secretary general. But let’s not mix things up – some have said that if there are two candidates it breaks the unity. It’s good to have two candidates because then new themes open up and then we make things go better.
UPDATE 21:31 Joe Biden thanked Klaus Iohannis for Romania’s activity within NATO, 20 years after our country’s accession.
“Mr. President, welcome. You exceeded all expectations 20 years ago when you joined NATO. Thank you for all the things you do as part of the Alliance,” Biden said.
The two presidents are in the Oval Office of the White House.
“We tried not only to be NATO members, but also to work on bilateral relations. Romania is trying to do its best to prevent Russia from winning the war (from Ukraine),” said Klaus Iohannis.
UPDATE 21:05 The President of Romania has arrived at the White House and will make press statements at 9:30 p.m.
Original news:
Important meeting today, at the White House, where the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis will be received by Joe Biden. The head of state is in the United States on an official visit until Thursday.
UPDATE Klaus Iohannis will give press statements on Tuesday, at 9:30 p.m., during his working visit to the USA.
The meeting between Klaus Iohannis and Joe Biden will start at 20:30 Romanian time.
The original news
During the meeting at the White House, priority topics of the international and bilateral agenda will be discussed. A special place in the exchange of opinions between the two heads of state will be occupied by the situation in Ukraine and the Black Sea basin, as well as the strengthening of security in the Euro-Atlantic area. The high-level dialogue will be a good opportunity to raise the profile of the Strategic Partnership with the United States and reconfirm the privileged bilateral relations between the two states and multi-sectoral cooperation.
The visit of President Klaus Iohannis to the USA will be a good opportunity to reaffirm Romania’s role as a security provider and active actor in the management of international crises and respected by the partners of the North Atlantic Alliance.
The official delegation that will accompany Klaus Iohannis to Washington will include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminița Odobescu, and Deputy Prime Minister Cătălin Predoiu, the Minister of Internal Affairs.
“President Biden will welcome President Klaus Iohannis to the White House on May 7. The leaders will celebrate Romania’s 20th year as a member of NATO. President Biden will thank President Iohannis for hosting the US military in Romania and recognize the many contributions that Romania, a staunch NATO ally, has made to the security of NATO’s eastern flank, particularly in the Black Sea region. The leaders will emphasize their continued support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian aggression. They will also review the many areas in which Romania and the United States work together, including energy, economic cooperation, and our shared democratic values,” the White House said in a statement.
The President will be awarded the Distinguished International Leadership Award for 2024
At the same time, on Wednesday, the president will be awarded the Distinguished International Leadership Award for the year 2024, during the Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards gala. The US Atlantic Council has decided to award this award to the President of Romania for the year 2024, as a recognition of his career and his role as a transatlantic and European leader, the Presidential Administration also reports.
President Klaus Iohannis is the first European head of state honored with this distinction, in the 24 years since the award was established.
The Atlantic Council is a prestigious American “think tank” organization, founded in 1961, with a rich activity in the field of international affairs.
Annually, the Atlantic Council awards a limited number of personalities who embody the essence of the transatlantic relationship and who have contributed to its consolidation, in all its dimensions (political, economic, security and defense, art, humanitarian activities, etc.).
Past recipients of The Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards include US Presidents George W. Bush (2018), William J. Clinton (2010) and George HW Bush (2009), US Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2011) – current US President, European Commission Presidents Ursula von der Leyen (2021) and Jose Manuel Barroso (2014), Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi (2022), German Chancellor Helmut Kohl (2009) , British Prime Minister Tony Blair (2008), as well as other heads of state and government or leaders of international organizations.
