The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis will deliver as message of support in favor of building the defense capabilities and resilience of the Republic of Moldova at the NATO Summit. The statements were made before the event hosted by the capital of Lithuania, IPN reports.

The Romanian official told the press that the summit that starts today in Vilnius will center not only on the implementation of the decisions adopted last year in Madrid, but also on important decisions and premieres in NATO’s relations with the partners.

According to Klaus Iohannis, the adoption of Regional Defense Plans, including of the plan that covers Romania, is a central element that will enable the Alliance to give an efficient response to two major threats: Russia and terrorism. Another goal is to maintain increased allied involvement in the Black Sea Region, which is a region of strategic importance for Euro-Atlantic security. As regards Ukraine, Romania will continue to be a firm supporter of its integration into NATO and will plead for an increased commitment in political and practical terms, which would enable this state to come close to the Alliance.

“The support for the vulnerable partners, primarily the Republic of Moldova, which is exposed to Russia’s pressure the most, is added to this. This way, I will have an unambiguous message about the support for strengthening the defense capabilities and resilience of the Republic of Moldova. At the Summit, I will also mention the clear value of the transatlantic connection for our security, especially in the current security context,” stated Klaus Iohannis.

Asked by the press if Moldova can obtain a perspective for coming close to NATO alongside Ukraine at the Summit, the Romanian President said that Moldova has the status of neutrality stipulated in the Constitution. When it decides to change this stance, the issue can be discussed without any problem.