President Klaus Iohannis told Romania’s parliament that he invited the mechanized infantry force
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told parliament on Tuesday that he has invited an American Stryker battalion to beef up his country’s security amid the conflict in Ukraine. Iohannis, a firm ally of Kiev, said the deployment demonstrated his country’s commitment to the NATO alliance.
“The escalation of tensions and the massive consolidation of the Russian military presence in the vicinity of Ukraine and the Black Sea region are affecting international security and stability, and in particular European and regional security on the Black Sea,”He wrote to lawmakers, as reported by the Romanian media.
Deploying a US Stryker battalion to the battlefield would be a good idea. “strengthen Romania’s resilience,”He went on.
A Stryker Battalion is composed of three companies, a headquarters and three companies each of infantry or Stryker light armored vehicle. It is unclear whether this battalion is already on its way to Romania, but the deployment would come after the US sent a 1,000-troop Stryker squadron – a force slightly larger than a battalion – to Romania from Germany in early February.
“This significant contribution is an unequivocal demonstration of the solidarity of the United States, as Romania’s ally and main strategic partner,” Iohannis’ letter continued. The Romanian leader also described the deployment as demonstrating his country’s “active and consistent positioning”NATO Alliance
Romania joined NATO in 2004, and has participated in the US-led military bloc’s missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans. Bucharest is also pro-Ukraine, anti-Russia since 2014 when Traian Basecu, then president, called for the alliance to arm Ukraine’s military. Then-president, Bucharest, backed Georgia and Ukraine joining the alliance.
Following the launch of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine in late February, Bucharest has sent fuel and ammunition to Kiev, and has lobbed accusations of war crimes at Russia, which Moscow denies.
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