Nicu Fălcoi: "Romania cannot afford to surrender any Patriot system, at this moment"

Our country cannot afford to donate to Ukraine any Patriot system from those purchased from the USA, at this moment, claims deputy Nicu Fălcoi, vice-president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Nicu Fălcoi told us: "In this case, the Parliament has no say. It is an executive decision after all, not a legislative one. I believe we will not donate any Patriot systems to Ukraine. At the moment we have only one operational system in our country, and the others are being worked on for operationalization. President Klaus Iohannis stated that such a decision will be discussed within the CSAT, but I do not think this will happen. Patriot is a defensive, anti-aircraft defense system, and from President Iohannis's statements I understood that the possibility of donating a system to Ukraine will be discussed, but he did not pronounce on this. What bothered me the most was that he callously claimed that we spent 2.5% of GDP on defense when we spent 1.6% of GDP. Regarding the donation of Patriot systems, the question arose that the European states that have these systems should donate something to Ukraine. However, President Iohannis said after the meeting with Joe Biden that Romania cannot remain defenseless in the case of donating such a system, but must receive something in return. Now, whether that exchange will be one to Romania's advantage, taking into account the fact that at the end of the endowment program we should have seven Patriot systems, that is another discussion. In this case, the possible transfer of one of the seven systems to Ukraine could be discussed. However, I believe that at this moment Romania cannot afford to give up any system".

Asked if a possible transfer of such a system would give water to the mill of Russian propagandists who claim that our country can become a legitimate target for Russian forces, the vice-president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly answered us: "The possible transfer to Ukraine of such a system does not it would make our country a legitimate target for the Kremlin. The fact that a morbid secrecy is maintained in Romania regarding the military aid granted to Ukraine, does not mean that Romania would not have helped the neighboring country in any other way than humanitarian. There are many European and NATO countries that have helped Ukraine with weapons. This does not mean that they become legitimate targets for the Kremlin; no way".

Deputy Nicu Fălcoi also referred to the statement of President Iohannis according to which he would have touched with his American counterpart Joe Biden and his candidacy for the position of Secretary General of NATO.

Mr. Falcoi stated: "President Iohannis' statement regarding his candidacy for the post of NATO Secretary General is normal, especially since he knows that he has not the slightest chance. I said it from the beginning, since it was rumored that he would want something like this, not since he announced his candidacy, that in my opinion he has no chance. Anyone who knows a bit about foreign policy realizes that, after Romania held the position of deputy secretary general of NATO for four years - a position that is also political, to have immediately after that the secretary general of NATO is beyond any understanding. That Mr. President Iohannis thought that he was doing a "Maradona", a fake something and leaving as if in Romania, as he did things in the last three years in Bucharest, is another discussion. I think he doesn't have the slightest chance, first of all because in any leadership position, such as that of NATO Secretary General, a very good communicator must be appointed. Mr. Iohannis is not known as a good communicator. Regarding this topic, as Klaus Iohannis also admitted, he touched on the topic of candidacy for the post of NATO Secretary General in the discussion with Joe Biden, but his American counterpart told him to keep calm that he has no chance" .

The Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly concluded by saying that through the meeting that Joe Biden had with Klaus Iohannis, the American administration wants to give a clear signal to everyone that it supports Romania and all the countries of the Eastern Flank of NATO, taking into account the current difficult period.