UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has unveiled measures to bolster defence cooperation with Romania in a bid to safeguard the European region.
At a meeting with his counterpart Mihai Fifor in Bucharest, Williamson proposed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by the end of this year to enhance UK-Romania defence co-operation.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the British Army will support a Romanian-led Multinational Brigade (South-East), which is participating in a training exercise named Exercise Scorpions Fury and is part of Nato’s Forward Presence in the Black Sea.
The move is aimed at deterring security threats in the region.
Williamson said: “European security is our security and though we are leaving the EU our commitment to our allies remains steadfast. That is why we are accelerating our military collaboration with Romania, with whom we enjoy a strong relationship.
“Nato is the cornerstone of both our nations’ security and this deployment demonstrates the alliance’s collective resolve and readiness in a world of intensifying threats.”
He also met Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă to discuss last month’s Nato summit and defence post-Brexit.
His next pit stop was the Black Sea, where he met RAF crews who are flying Typhoon patrols as part of Nato’s Southern Air Policing mission.
Last week, two RAF Typhoons were deployed from Romania to Hungary where they are engaged in bilateral exercises with the Hungarian military.