US Vice-president in Romania

Few European countries witness such strong pro-American sentiment shared by both politicians and the general public as Romania does.

A NATO member, tied to Washington through a strategic partnership, host to military bases and elements of the American missile defence system, Romania may, in its turn, count on the unconditional support of the USA.

This was the message conveyed in Bucharest by the US Vice-president Joe Biden.

This is not Biden’s first visit to Romania, but this time around he came to Bucharest specifically to reiterate the USA’s commitment to the security of its east-European allies, who are concerned with the developments in neighbouring Ukraine.

Americans, Biden said, both in his own and in President Barack Obama’s behalf, see their support for Romanians and for NATO as an obligation.

Biden’s address in Bucharest targeted not only the host country, but Moscow as well.

More than two decades after the collapse of what was being called the Evil Empire, Western capitals are shocked to see the forceful comeback of Cold-War rhetoric and Stalinist annexation practices.

The borders of Europe must not be changed again through armed force, this is why we condemn Russia’s occupation of Crimea, the US Vice-president said.

The President of Romania, Traian Basescu, hailed the USA’s swift response to the annexation of Crimea.

The surge in the American air, sea and land troops in the region discourages Russia’s push to restore the Soviet Union, the Romanian President bluntly put it.

According to the Romanian Foreign Minister, Titus Corlatean, Joe Biden’s visit to Romania is a very important political signal, expressing support for a loyal ally, a strategic partner of the US, at a difficult moment on NATO’s eastern border.

In turn, PM Victor Ponta said Romania expected American support not only for guaranteeing its territorial security, but also for ensuring the country’s energy independence from Russia.

Preceded by the visit made on Friday by the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Biden’s trip to Bucharest confirms Rasmussen’s message that Romania does not stand alone in the face of regional threats.

In fact, Rasmussen hailed Bucharest’s decision to be not only a consumer, but also a provider of security, and to increase its defence budget to 2% of the GDP by 2017.

Romania will thus be a model for other NATO member states, Rasmussen added.