US deputy chief of mission Rupp: Romania and its neighbors' energy security reinforces national security

The energy security of Romania and its neighbors reinforces national security, deputy chief of the US mission in Bucharest Abigail Rupp said on Thursday. 

Attending the conference "Security and prosperity on the eastern border of NATO and the EU", Rupp spoke about NATO's cost sharing, a pursuit where Romania - one of the countries that have allocated 2 percent of the GDP for Defense - "can be given as an example", she noted. 

In her speech Abigail Rupp tackled energy security, saying that it is linked to national security. The energy security of Romania and its neighbors reinforces national security, which is true in the US and in Romania as well. Energy security in Romania has since long been a priority for the US, Rupp said, stressing that this is a key concern in Europe. 

We are Romania's allies on this front, (...) energy security is a critical element for a free and strong Europe, the American diplomat underscored. 

The deputy chief of the US mission in Bucharest mentioned "the recent successes regarding the US - Romania energy cooperation". 

On October 31, US Ambassador Hans Klemm and President Iohannis visited Transgaz to celebrate the commissioning of the new natural gas compression plant at Podisor, an important point in the accomplishment of the BRUA project. The US government, as well as the US private sector have supported this project that is key to Romania and Central Europe, Rupp remarked. 

This transport pipeline, the American diplomat went on to say, will give the Romanian people the chance to maximize the opportunity given by their energy resources in the Black Sea. 

Black Sea Oil & Gas of the US will play a vital role in drilling and pumping these natural gas resources for the benefit of the Romanian people, government and industry, said Rupp. 

In the context of energy security, she also mentioned the common opposition to the Nord Stream 2 project. 

During its term at the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, its first since joining the EU, Romania has demonstrated its commitment to the common values - defense, energy, rule of law and security. The Romanian Presidency has cemented our common opposition to the Nord Stream 2 project, a project that would undermine Europe's energy security, Abigail Rupp said. 

The American diplomat also made a connection between security and prosperity: the closer Romania got to the US, the more prosperous it grew. In 1989 Romania-US bilateral trade stood at just 741 million dollars. 30 years later it rose to 3.7 billion dollars, and the US is the fifth largest foreign investor and largest non-EU investor in Romania.