"While Europeans apply decisions on sanctions and must continue to do so strictly, NATO should strengthen further its deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern flank. That is why Romania supported enhanced cohesion on the eastern flank between its northern and southern parts. The Black Sea region, where the security environment is increasingly challenged, as we have recently seen, needs more NATO presence", Iohannis said at the Munich Security Conference.
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He also stressed that the European Union cannot ignore "challenges on the eastern flank."
The announcement of the Romanian President addressed a recent statement of the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who said that the alliance was considering the possibility of expanding its presence in the Black Sea in order to provide additional support to Ukraine in the region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the incident was a provocation prepared by Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko in advance as a pretext to declare martial law in Ukraine.