US Defence Secretary: Security, stability in Black Sea region, part of US national interest

Security and stability in the Black Sea region are in the national interest of the United States and are critical in terms of the security of the Eastern Flank, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said on Wednesday in a press conference with his Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca, agerpres reports.

He said that "it is obvious that the region is vulnerable to Russian aggression and we have seen this from the actions taking place in eastern Ukraine, the occupation of several parts of Georgia, the militarization of the Black Sea and the provocative actions in the air and at sea."

I'd go on to say that the destabilising activities in the Black Sea area reflect (Russia's, ed. n.) ambitions to regain a dominant position in the region and to stop the creation of a Europe that is whole, free and at peace. Again, the Black Sea region is part of the US national interest and we will be focused on it and we will continue to work with our partners in the region, the US Secretary of Defense added.

Lloyd J. Austin III will be welcomed by President Klaus Iohannis at Cotroceni Palace.

Subsequently, he will go visit the southeastern military base at Mihail Kogalniceanu.

The US Secretary of Defense's visit to Romania is part of a tour that also includes Georgia and Ukraine, before attending the NATO meeting in Brussels, which begins on Thursday.