ForMin Aurescu, US Frank Rose, about Russia's aggression in Ukraine

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu received Frank Rose, the Principal Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration at the U.S Department of Energy and former chief-negotiator of the Romania-USA Agreement regarding the placement of the anti-ballistic defence system of the United States in Romania in 2011, who is carrying out a visit in Bucharest.The two officials had an exchange of opinions regarding the security crisis caused by the illegal, unjustified and unprovoked aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The two dignitaries especially tackled aspects regarding nuclear security "in the context of irresponsible action of Russian armed forces in the immediate vicinity of operating nuclear power plants (such as the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant) or sites in conservation on Ukrainian territory (former Chernobyl nuclear power plant)," according to a press release sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).Aurescu highlighted the security risks for the entire transatlantic community, which resulted from the continuation of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. In this context, he evoked the Madrid NATO Summit's important decisions regarding the consolidation and the streamlining of the NATO's deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern Flank and their practical implementation.He thanked for the American military presence in Romania, amplified after the launch of the Russian aggression, namely for the announcement made by the US President, Joe Biden, in Madrid, in regards to increasing the presence and he highlighted Romania's role in granting humanitarian aid to Ukraine and to Ukrainian refugees, as well as in facilitating cereal export from Ukraine towards other parts of the world.The American official appreciated Romania's efforts of supporting Ukraine and mitigating global repercussions of the Russian Federation's invasion.The head of Romanian diplomacy reiterated Romania's availability and increased interest in continuing to consolidate cooperation with the US in matter of civil nuclear energy. Thus, he referred to the importance of the major components of the Romania-USA bilateral cooperation program in the civil nuclear sector, namely the refurbishment of the Unit 1 of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, the construction of the reactors 3 and 4 and the development of cutting-edge small modular reactors (SMR). These have the potential of placing civil nuclear energy among the main pillars of the Strategic Partnership with the USA and having a major contribution to the energy security of Romania and the region.Minister Aurescu appreciated the inclusion of the development project in Romania of a power plant based on SMR technology among the flagship projects of the Global Partnership for Investments and Infrastructure, launched by G7 at the Summit in Elmau, Germany, namely for the decision of granting a US initial financing worth 14 million dollars.