Readout of President Biden’s Call with Transatlantic Leaders

FEBRUARY 18, 2022   President Joseph R. Biden spoke today with Transatlantic leaders about the likelihood of further Russian aggression against Ukraine.  Together they expressed deep concern over Russia’s continued build-up of forces, reiterated their strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and discussed the importance of further economic assistance to Ukraine.    They pledged to continue pursuing diplomacy to de-escalate tensions while ensuring readiness to impose swift, coordinated economic costs on Russia should it choose further conflict.  The leaders also discussed efforts to ensure the defense and security of NATO’s eastern flank.   Participants in the call included Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President Andrzej Duda of Poland, President Klaus Iohannis of Romania, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom.   According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, this new round of trans-Atlantic consultations took place in the context of the intensification of the challenging actions of the Russian Federation, doubled by a more intense rhetoric with the purpose of disinformation and intimidation.The leaders analysed, on this occasion, the most recent information on the field and the next steps to be taken into consideration, including the measures covering answers necessary to increase the level of security on the European continent and discouraging the use of military force by Russia. The focus was on the importance of continuation with the political- diplomatic measures with a view to de-escalating in a concrete, verifiable manner and the avoidance of a conflict.  In his intervention, president Klaus Iohannis mentioned the opportunity of the continuation of the consultations in this format, and the importance of keeping the coordination and the allied and trans-Atlantic union during these critical moments for the whole Euro-Atlantic community.       The Presidential Administration shows that the head of state emphasized the necessity to finalise the package of sanctions and to send very clear messages regarding the decision to use them promptly in case the situation gets worse. Equally, president Klaus Iohannis reiterated the importance of rejecting any attempt to undermine the democratic values and principles our society relies on.   Similarly, the president of Romania showed the necessity to emphasize the state of descouragement and defence, in a united and coherent way, on the whole Eastern Flank, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, especially in the southern part of the Eastern Flank.He also mentioned that such approach is the only able to contribute to keeping regional stability, as well as the security of the Alliance in its entirety, of all the citizens in the allied states. In this context, he reiterated the appreciation for the solidarity shown by the present leaders for the security of Romania and its citizens.President Klaus Iohannis showed that the strategic objective of ensuring the consolidation of the defence posture on the Eastern Flank must be one of medium and long term, being part of Romania’s vision on the security in a broader perspective. The head of state reiterated the firm support of our country for the sovereignity and territorial integrity of Ukraine and for its right to decide freely on its foreign policy and said that Romania is ready to manage all implications of the present crisis.The consultations were part of the allied and trans-Atlantic efforts to coordinate and they come as a continuation of the discussions in a similar format, which took place on 11th February, similarly at the initiative of president Biden.