The meeting of Iohannis with Biden, who discussed with the US president about sending Patriot missiles to Ukraine: “It is unacceptable that Romania remains without anti-aircraft defense”

American President Joe Biden on Tuesday praised the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, for his leadership and for providing security assistance during the war in Ukraine, during a meeting at the White House.

President Klaus Iohannis declared that the allies must find ways to prevent Russia from winning the war in Ukraine.

“We need a stronger military industry,” he declared, supporting the need for a fuel supply system for the entire NATO eastern front.

Iohannis also addressed the topic of Patriot missiles for Ukraine.

“There is obviously a need for anti-aircraft defense systems in Ukraine. Advanced systems. In the last weeks, there is a discussion about who can provide Patriot systems to Ukraine. And President Biden raised the issue and I said that we are willing. We will discuss in CSAT what we can offer and what we can receive in return, because it is unacceptable for Romania to remain without anti-aircraft defense.

It is a functional one that will remain in Romania. The others that are in an advanced state of operationalization and we were talking about one of them. It is not a political decision. … There are awareness campaigns, to improve the acceptance rate, we have the legitimacy to hope that in the not too distant future this issue will be resolved”, stated Iohannis in a press conference.

He said that he had a very consistent discussion, at the White House, with the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden.

“I had a very consistent discussion today in Washington, with President Joe Biden, at the White House, about the strategic partnership between Romania and the United States, including cooperation in the field of security, economic and energy issues,” Klaus Iohannis said in a post on his X page (formerly Twitter).

Iohannis also stated that, during the meeting held at the White House with President Joe Biden, he also addressed the topic of his candidacy for the head of the North Atlantic Alliance.

“It is good to have competition, to have two strong candidates, because this way more issues will be put on the table. And this point was reached and together we decided to continue the dialogue”, said Klaus Iohannis.

President Klaus Iohannis was received on Tuesday, at the White House, by the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden.

The Romanian head of state is making a working visit to Washington, where, during Wednesday, he will receive the Distinguished International Leadership Award for the year 2024, at the Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards gala.

According to the Presidential Administration, during the meeting at the White House, the two heads of state will discuss priority topics of the international and bilateral agenda, with a special place having the exchange of opinions on the situation in Ukraine and the Black Sea basin, as well as the strengthening of security in the Euro-Atlantic area .

The visit of President Iohannis to the USA is a good opportunity to reaffirm Romania’s role as a security provider and active actor in the management of international crises and respected by the partners of the North Atlantic Alliance, stated the Presidential Administration.

The official delegation accompanying Klaus Iohannis to Washington includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminita Odobescu, and Deputy Prime Minister Catalin Predoiu, Minister of Internal Affairs.