Mircea Geoană, the Deputy Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, emphasized that the strength and unity of NATO serve as a primary deterrent against potential threats. He mentioned, "There are no indications that the Russian Federation has any intention of attacking a NATO member state, be it Romania or any other state. And that is a result of the power and strength of our alliance. We are the first element of deterrence."
Geoană acknowledged the concerns of the Romanian citizens, especially those residing near the Danube border with Ukraine. The sounds of conflict from the neighboring country have understandably caused distress among the locals. He also revealed his plans to visit Tulcea County, which is in proximity to Ukrainian ports frequently targeted by Russian drones.
Addressing the recent discovery of drone debris in Romania, Geoană confirmed that NATO is closely collaborating with Bucharest to investigate the matter. He assured that the incident wasn't a deliberate attack and urged the Romanian public to trust NATO's commitment to safeguarding its territories. "NATO has taken all necessary precautions to protect its entire space, including Romania, both now and in the future," Geoană added.
In a related development, Romania had earlier called upon the chief of the Russian diplomatic mission in Bucharest to address the issue of drones, deployed by Russia, targeting Ukrainian ports along the Danube. A drone wreckage, similar to those used by Russia against Ukraine, was discovered in the village of Plauru, Tulcea County. This incident was labeled as a blatant breach of Romania's sovereign airspace by the country's president.
Ukraine had previously reported the crash of two Shahed attack drones in Romania during a Russian offensive on Izmail and Reni. Initially, Romanian authorities denied any such occurrence. However, by 6th September, the Defence Minister confirmed the discovery of fragments resembling drone debris near the Danube's Romanian banks, which were then sent for further analysis.
