When President Joe Biden and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis met at the White House last week, the praise for Romania's commitment to NATO and the protection of Europe reaffirmed the country's role as a cornerstone of Western defense against the threats posed by Russian aggression in Ukraine. The need to advance the legitimate interests of the critical U.S. ally may now be more important than ever.
Just a few weeks before the Biden-Iohannis meeting, Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Catalin Predoiu led a major diplomatic offensive in Washington. In meetings with senior leaders in the Administration and Congress, the Deputy Prime Minister made a strong case for a more strategic alliance on key issues, including NATO defense, energy, and the need to complete Romania's integration into the European free-movement zone by the end of 2024.
The State Department, through Counselor Derek Chollet, regarded the visit as a resounding success expressing that the two countries are working together even more closely on security and energy issues, and that they are both committed to supporting Ukraine. House and Senate leaders equally followed with vocal bipartisan support, which was solidified after more than a dozen high-level individual meetings with senior members of most important committees.
