DefMin Mosteanu and French Minister of Armed Forces visit troops deployed at Cincu

  The Minister of Defense, Ionut Mosteanu, and the Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans of the French Republic, Catherine Vautrin, visited on Thursday the troops deployed in the "Getica" National Joint Training Center, in Cincu.The visit from Cincu took place in the context of the DACIAN FALL 2025 exercise, in which the Allied Battle Group raises its operational level from battalion to brigade, with approximately 5,000 servicemen. The exercise aims to increase interoperability and consolidate collective defense capacity, as well as to practice the support of the host nation provided by Romania, the Ministry of Defense (MApN) said in a release sent on Friday.The French minister is in Romania, and prior to her visit to Cincu, he met with Mosteanu in Sibiu.According to the Ministry of Defense, the two officials analyzed the security situation in the Black Sea region, France's contribution to strengthening NATO's position on the eastern flank, and bilateral cooperation in support of collective defense.Minister Mosteanu emphasized the essential role of France, as the framework nation of the Allied Battle Group in Romania."The presence of the French military staff, together with those from Belgium, Luxembourg, and Spain, represents a solid guarantee of allied solidarity and a strong signal of France's commitment to the security of the Black Sea region," said the Romanian minister.The French Minister of the Armed Forces sent a firm message regarding bilateral cooperation."I am here to confirm the strength of our commitment to European security and to mark a new step in the defense partnership between France and Romania. I would like to thank the Minister of Defense for his warm welcome and I am delighted that we are working together to strengthen the relationship between our countries," she said.At the end of the meeting, Minister Mosteanu reaffirmed the importance of this partnership. "Romania and France share the same vision: a strong, united and secure Europe. Our friendship and cooperation will continue to develop for the benefit of the security of the Euro-Atlantic area," said Ionut Mosteanu.    French Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Catherine Vautrin told a press conference in Sibiu on Thursday that France will keep in Romania the existing troop levels established within the North Atlantic Alliance, pointing out that the force has been increased in the recent period.Asked by journalists whether France will enhance its military presence in Romania, Vautrin said that the number of troops in Romania has been increased, and France keeps its military deployment as the number already established within the Alliance.Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs of the French Republic, Catherine Vautrin, had a meeting on Thursday with National Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu.The Romanian minister was also asked if there are talks underway for the deployment of European troops to replace the American force that will be leaving Romania, and he replied that NATO's defense strategy continues to evolve in response to new realities, and three and a half years into the Ukraine war, the U.S. partners have acknowledged Europe's commitment to strengthening national armed forces and military capabilities. As part of a broader strategic pivot toward the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. sees that Europe's defense posture has improved, Mosteanu went on to say, pointing out that close cooperation with allies remains ongoing, particularly with the United States and France, as Romania currently hosts over 1,300 permanent French troops, with more than 3,000 deployed at present.The American forces at the Deveselu and Campia Turzii bases remain unchanged, the only change being made at the Mihail Kog?lniceanu base, where a rotational brigade will no longer be deployed, Defense Minister Mosteanu announced on Wednesday.The United States will withdraw a part of its troops deployed on NATO's eastern flank, leaving around 1,000 soldiers in the three bases in Romania.   (Photo:https://armed.mapn.ro/)