Joint Statement on the Tenth Round of the Romania-United States Strategic Dialogue

  December 16, 2025   The tenth round of the Romania-United States Strategic Dialogue was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania on December 16, 2025, building upon the strong and growing partnership between the two nations. The meetings included sessions on: security and defense cooperation, the efforts to bring peace to Ukraine and to ensure the stability, security and prosperity of the Black Sea region, and cooperation on regional issues and international strategic competition, including economic and research security. The meetings also explored defense co-production, opportunities in the fields of energy security and critical minerals, as well as border security, cultural and educational exchanges, and free speech.   The Strategic Dialogue built on recent high-level meetings that have set the course of bilateral cooperation under the U.S.-Romania Strategic Partnership under new Administrations in both the United States and Romania.   These meetings included consultations between Minister of Foreign Affairs Oana Toiu, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Washington, October 8), the sixth ministerial meeting of the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (Athens, November 6-7), and the High-Level Defense Group meeting (Bucharest, November 17-18). These meetings reviewed elements of our bilateral strategic dialogue, including strengthened defense, energy, and border security cooperation. The United States recognized Romania’s work to meet defense spending commitments and discussed the importance of Romania’s leadership in ensuring the security of the Black Sea region.   Both sides reiterated their support for NATO and its role as the cornerstone of collective defense and the security of all Allies. Both sides underscored their shared commitment to advancing cooperation within NATO and to operationalizing the Alliance’s pledge for all Allies to invest five percent of GDP in defense. The two countries reiterated their intent to work closely alongside NATO Allies to further reinforce the Alliance, including through expanding defense industrial cooperation in a manner that contributes to joint security and prosperity.   The United States recognized Romania’s role as a key partner to support regional energy security. The delegations noted progress on bilateral cooperation, which enhances Romania’s role as a regional energy hub and creates opportunities for U.S. businesses. Romania and the United States will continue cooperation to ensure reliable, secure, and affordable energy, including through the construction of Reactors 3 and 4 at the Cernavod? nuclear power plant, by enabling innovative SMR nuclear technology deployment, and developing Black Sea natural gas resources in partnership with American companies. The delegations reviewed current steps to unlock the enormous potential of the Vertical Corridor to supply Central and Eastern Europe with natural gas from sources diversified from Russia.   The United States and Romania will continue productive educational, cultural, and professional exchanges that are part of the bilateral relationship. The United States welcomed Romania’s financial support for the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) high school program as an investment in the next generation of leaders. Both sides recognized that people-to-people ties bolster the protection of fundamental freedoms and good governance and help counter concerning trends of antisemitism. Enhanced border security and law enforcement cooperation directly supports shared efforts to combat organized crime, human and drug trafficking, illegal migration, terrorism, and cybersecurity threats. Implementation of key security and information-sharing efforts benefits both nations’ security and facilitates legitimate travel. (By U.S. Mission Romania)