UKRAINE - ONE YEAR OF WAR/DefMin: We will continue to support Ukraine as long as needed

The minister of Defence, Angel Tilvar, on Friday said that Romania will continue to support Ukraine as long as it is needed.

"We will continue to support Ukraine as long as needed, because the Romanian people believe in an international system based on rules, not aggression. Since the beginning of the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine, Romania has provided humanitarian assistance to the neighbouring country, and also political, diplomatic and economic support. The Romanian state has provided shelter and aid for more than 3.5 million Ukrainian refugees and has been involved in facilitating the transit from Ukraine to global markets of over 11.8 million tonnes of grain," says the minister of National Defence, in a message posted on Facebook, one year after the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

According to the post, the war initiated by Russia against Ukraine proved Euro-Atlantic solidarity and cohesion.

With more than 5,000 allied soldiers stationed on our national territory, who train together with the Romanian soldiers, our country is better protected and defended than ever. Currently, there are operating in Romania the Battle Group for Collective Defence, led by France, as a framework nation, and including forces belonging to the Netherlands and Belgium, units of the US Army - the elements of the 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagles and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, as of October of last year, as well as units from Poland, Portugal and North Macedonia, subordinated to the Craiova-based Southeast Multinational Brigade.