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BUCHAREST, Romania – Vice Admiral Keith Blount, Commander of NATO Allied Maritime Command visited Bucharest Romania 21 to 22 July to meet with senior civilian and military leaders.

Admiral Blount addressed an audience of more than one hundred officers at the Romanian National Defence University on how the deterrence and defence of the Black Sea fits into NATO's wider thinking on the protection of the Euro-Atlantic area.

On 22 July Admiral Blount and his Political Advisor Professor James Bergeron met with the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence, the State Secretary for Defence and Policy Planning and the Commander of the Romanian Navy along with the senior naval leadership. Discussions encompassed challenges to freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, the situation in Ukraine, future NATO exercises and the importance of the Black Sea to regional security.

We benefitted from in-depth discussions on current defence and deterrence issues, as well as generous hospitality by our Romanian hosts. I depart Bucharest with a much improved understanding of Black Sea security and of Romania's important role in it.

Admiral Blount also paid tribute to the support provided by the Romanian Navy to NATO, both in the contribution of warships to the Standing Naval Forces and Operation Sea Guardian, but also the assignment of naval officers to MARCOM and in command of NATO task groups, such as the recent command of NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2.

"Recent events demonstrate the critical importance of the Black Sea for NATO's security," said Blount. "That is why my first visit in Europe after COVID-19 restrictions began to ease was to Romania, which was also my first visit to the country. We benefitted from in-depth discussions on current defence and deterrence issues, as well as generous hospitality by our Romanian hosts. I depart Bucharest with a much improved understanding of Black Sea security and of Romania's important role in it."