January 20 (SeeNews) - Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday that he welcomes the readiness expressed by fellow NATO members U.S. and France to send more troops in Romania amid growing tensions in Eastern Europe and fears of aggression by the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
"I welcome the explicit announcement of President Joe Biden to increase the US military presence in Romania, on the Eastern Flank, if the security situation deteriorates further. The Romanian - U.S. Strategic Partnership and NATO solidarity are very strong," Iohannis said in a Twitter post.
In another Twitter post Iohannis said, "I warmly welcome the announcement by President Emmanuel Macron on France's readiness to participate in NATO's increased military presence in Romania. The Romania-France strategic partnership will thus be strengthened on the eastern flank, in the Black Sea region."
Biden said on Wednesday that the administration will not withdraw its troops from former Soviet countries in order to de-escalate tensions with Russia after international media reported that Russia has amassed over 120,000 servicemen at the Ukrainian border.
"We’re going to actually increase troop presence in Poland or Romania, et cetera, if in fact he [Russian president Vladimir Putin] moves, because we have a sacred obligation with Article 5 to defend those countries because they’re part of NATO," Biden said during a White House conference on Wednesday evening.
On Wednesday, Nathalie Loiseau, MEP and former French minister for European affairs, wrote in a Twitter post that Macron has said France is willing to deploy military troops in Romania.
"Tonight, Emmanuel Macron announced France's availability to participate in an enhanced NATO military presence in Romania. France, solidarily with European states, is concerned about their security," Loiseau wrote.