German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) welcomed Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in Berlin on Wednesday, where they agreed to deepen cooperation on defense matters.
Merz told reporters at a joint press conference that, shortly after the meeting, the two countries’ defense ministers would convene here in Berlin to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation. “This shows that we are jointly taking responsibility for the security of Europe and for the security of our two countries” he said.
Bolojan added that the bilateral partnership should be expanded particularly in strategic sectors such as energy, industry, and defense. The agreement will enable the modernization of the defense industry and a faster response to security needs.
The chancellor explained that the governments had discussed how to counter Russian threats, ranging from targeted disinformation and cyber operations to air‑space violations along NATO’s eastern flank. “Germany and Romania confront these challenges together and decisively” Merz said. He noted that Germany is already participating for the fourth time with Eurofighters in air‑space monitoring in Romania.
Bolojan reminded that Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure have had a severe impact on the population, underscoring the importance of incorporating these occurrences into political and security‑policy decisions.
He also highlighted Moldova as a strategic priority for Romania, stressing that the stability of Chișinău and Moldova’s European orientation are vital for the entire region. The initiation of EU accession negotiations for Moldova, he said, is an important signal for regional security.
