President Dan: We face the same threat on the eastern flank and in the Arctic region

  We face the same threat on the eastern flank and in the Arctic region, and behind this threat is the Russian Federation, President Nicusor Dan said on Monday before attending the European Arctic Summit in Finland."We are an important country on the eastern flank and we face the same threat on the eastern flank and in the Arctic region. Of course, Russia is behind this threat. It includes drone [attacks], attacks on critical infrastructure, cyber attacks and acts of sabotage. As we face similar attacks, we need similar means of deterrence and preparedness to deal with them. That is why we are here," the head of state said.He brought to mind that Romania is part of the Helsinki Format and will host the next summit at the beginning of next year.He also said that Romania has expertise in the Black Sea in areas including mine clearance, intelligence gathering and undersea cables."It is important to share our expertise with the countries on the eastern flank and with the countries bordering the Arctic. There are also interesting economic opportunities. In Romania, we have expertise in minerals, both their extraction and processing. There is cooperation between the Romanian and Finnish geological institutes on this matter and we also have expertise in shipbuilding. So this is a good framework for cooperation, to bring investment to the eastern flank and the Arctic region," Nicusor Dan added.    European security is shared security, and what happens in one part of our continent has direct consequences for all of us, and nowhere is that clearer than along the continuum running from the Arctic through the Baltic to the Black Sea, Romania's President Nicusor Dan wrote on Monday in a social media post."The European Union therefore has an strong role to play in strengthening defence readiness, resilience, infrastructure, economic security and connectivity across these regions. Romania supports enhanced military mobility linking the Black Sea to Northern Europe, as well as a structured Black Sea-Arctic dialogue to match this connectivity with a common strategic understanding."Dan went on to say that delivering on this requires strong EU-NATO cooperation, a coherent approach to trade and the environment, and close work with key partners such as the United States."Romania is ready to assume its share of responsibility and to bring concrete added value to collective efforts," he said, adding that these priorities should be properly reflected in the forthcoming revised EU Arctic Strategy.   Air power is one of the clearest expressions of European and NATO solidarity, from the Arctic to the Black Sea, Romania's President Nicusor Dan said on Monday after touring the Lapland Air Wing military base in Finland.The visit happened on the sidelines of the European Arctic Summit, with Dan saying that he saw what it means to guard NATO's northern edge every single day."My thanks to the Finnish Air Force for the warm welcome and the professionalism on display. Rovaniemi and Romania's air bases stand at opposite ends of the same flank, but our paths are converging. This base is where Finland's F-35 capability begins. Romania is on the same journey, moving from the F-16 to the F-35 in the years ahead. We have a great deal to learn from one another ? on pilot training, on base infrastructure, on sustainment and on industrial production. Romania is ready to deepen this cooperation," Dan wrote in a social media post.   He participated in the European Arctic Summit in Rovaniemi, Finland. (Photo:https://www.presidency.ro/)