President Nicusor Dan attends 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague, June 24-25

President Nicusor Dan is participating on Tuesday and Wednesday in the meeting of heads of state and government of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which will take place in The Hague, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.According to a press release from the Presidential Administration , the NATO Summit represents a major opportunity to reconfirm the unity and solidarity of the allies, as well as the durability of the transatlantic relationship, which remains the foundation of the North Atlantic Alliance."For Romania, membership of NATO, the strongest political-military alliance in history, has brought the most solid security guarantees in history. In turn, Romania continues to be a responsible and active ally in NATO, a relevant provider of security and stability in the Black Sea region and beyond," the cited source specifies.At the summit, leaders will adopt important decisions on increasing defence investments to ensure the forces, capabilities, resources, infrastructure, and resilience necessary to further strengthen NATO's deterrence and collective defence posture, according to the Presidential Administration.The summit program will include a meeting at the highest level of the North Atlantic Council, as well as a series of protocol events. In this context, several official documents will be adopted, including The Hague Summit Declaration.The President of Romania will highlight the crucial importance of the transatlantic link and collective defence, based on Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. In this regard, he will endorse the allied decisions on gradually increasing defence budgets and strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture. He will also call for increased attention to be paid to the Eastern Flank and the Black Sea, a region of strategic importance for Euro-Atlantic security, according to the press release.At the same time, Nicusor Dan will express long-term support for Ukraine, as well as for other countries exposed to the threat from Russia, especially the Republic of Moldova.   Romanian President Nicusor Dan met with a US senatorial delegation on Tuesday evening, before the dinner with NATO leaders hosted by Dutch King Willem-Alexander, and on Wednesday he will have a bilateral meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel, according to American media and sources.An American senatorial delegation is participating in the NATO summit on Tuesday and Wednesday in The Hague, where they are expected to meet with several presidents and prime ministers, including Nicusor Dan, the American press reports.According to the punchbowl.news portal, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat) and Thom Tillis (Republican), who co-chair the US Senate's NATO observer group, as well as Chris Coons (Democrat) will lead the delegation.The senators are scheduled to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and Romanian President Nicusor Dan, according to the American publication.President Nicusor Dan met with the delegation of American senators at the hotel, before the dinner hosted by Dutch King Willem-Alexander, according to sources.Nicusor Dan will have a bilateral meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, according to the same sources.Also on Wednesday, brief "pull-aside" discussions with other leaders of the member states are possible.   În turn, newly sworn-in Minister of Defence Ionut Mosteanu reaffirmed Romania's firm commitment to collective defence and transatlantic cohesion at an event organized on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in The Hague.Minister Mosteanu attended a working dinner on Tuesday, hosted by the Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ruben Brekelmans, alongside counterparts from allied countries.The topics discussed during the ministerial talks focused on strategic issues that are essential for the future of the Alliance, according to a press release released by the Ministry of National Defence (MApN) on Wednesday."NATO is undergoing a structural change, underpinned by a credible defence and deterrence posture, centered on a modern command and control architecture, forces capable of operating in multiple domains, and an advanced force projection and logistical support capability," the cited source specifies.The defence ministers discussed NATO commitments, the new defence investment plan - which aims to reach 5% of GDP by 2035 - and measures to generate the forces and capabilities necessary for effective allied deterrence and defence.In this context, issues related to strengthening the European defence industry and key security developments with a direct impact on the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area were also included.On this occasion, the Romanian defence minister reaffirmed Romania's firm commitment to collective defence and transatlantic cohesion."Romania remains a reliable ally, deeply committed to strengthening NATO's defence and deterrence posture. We support increased investment in defense as an expression of our responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security. At the same time, we are making sustained efforts to meet capability targets and strengthen the national defence industry," said Ionut Mosteanu.Romania reconfirms its active and credible role within NATO at The Hague Summit, as well as its consistent contribution to regional and international security, further reads the MApN press release.   (Photo:https://www.presidency.ro/)