Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Toiu, affirms that Romania is a "core transatlantic partner in the field of economic security", at the ministerial meeting on critical minerals in Washington, hosted by US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and US Vice President, J. D. Vance, the Foreign Ministry (MAE) informs.
As a strategic partner of the United States of America and a key member of the European Union in the field of critical minerals, Romania participated in the first ministerial meeting on the subject, at the invitation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the cited source indicates.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministerial meeting in Washington and the discussions preceding it aimed to strengthen economic security, develop resilient supply chains for rare earth minerals and strengthen global partnerships aimed at protecting industries and jobs in the future.
"At a time when Romania's defense, technology and energy capabilities are looking for resources from the global supply chain, participation in international negotiations is essential. Romania is aligned with the US assessment of the risks. As part of our Strategic Partnership, we fully support the idea of creating a global coalition to protect industries against political constraints and supply chain disruptions, by strengthening resilient transatlantic supply chains, using market and public policy instruments," the Romanian ministry said.
As a member of the core group of five European Foreign Ministers participating in the ministerial meeting, Minister Oana Toiu highlighted the fact that, in the current geopolitical context, "we can no longer fully separate economic and security plans."
The minister advocated for strengthening EU-US relations in the areas of investment, processing and the use of common market instruments.
"We have all heard a warning signal regarding dependencies in supply chains, but the invitation of the United States has accelerated actions to reduce risks. Romania is a strong supporter of transatlantic relations. Advancing a multilateral agreement on rare earth minerals is the right path. We will leverage our strong partnerships to further build prosperity and jobs for our citizens. Predictability for our industries and safe and sustainable practices become possible only if those who apply price dumping practices are confronted with a coordinated response", the Romanian foreign minister stated.
Toiu added that Romania, recognized as a resource-rich country and hosting some of the largest copper deposits in Europe, along with key projects in the fields of magnesium, graphite and magnet resources, has a national strategy aimed at increasing investment and processing raw materials into finished products.
"Our GDP has already grown tenfold in a single generation, but we are aware that any future growth of our key industries (automotive, energy, technology, defense, household appliances) depends on Romania's integration into resilient supply chains. We are ready to build them quickly," the minister said.
According to an assessment by the United States International Trade Organization, Romania is emerging as a strategic player in Europe's rare earths supply chain.
"Driven by EU-wide efforts to reduce dependence on external sources, the country has taken bold steps to relaunch key mining operations and expand exploration activities. The Romanian government, in collaboration with the EU, has prioritized strategic investments and licensing mechanisms," the assessment says.
In the next 30 days, a final form of the Memorandum of Understanding, with negotiations led by the European Commission and the US State Department, will facilitate the development of coordinated trade policies and mechanisms, in the context of the European Rare Earths Act.
Thus, the MAE emphasizes, Romania is ready to make its contribution to the defense and high-tech industry, in areas such as magnets, batteries and energy storage, aerospace and defense, the transition to green energy, and also sees opportunities in recycling to increase resource efficiency and sustainability, welcoming future European plans on storage.
Romania participated in the 2026 Rare Earths Ministerial Meeting in Washington, at the personal invitation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and the US Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer.
The ministerial meeting brought together a core group of five EU foreign ministers (Romania, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands and Lithuania), as well as ministers and representatives of 54 countries and the European Commission.
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