ISTANBUL

Romania’s foreign minister said Wednesday that at a meeting this week, they once again proved how powerful the trilateral consultation format with Türkiye and Poland is.

“Through discussions, we once again proved how beneficial and effective the trilateral consultation format is. Especially in the face of Russia's attack on Ukraine, we have seen how useful this format can be,” Luminita Odabescu told a joint news conference in Warsaw with her Turkish and Romanian counterparts.

After a trilateral meeting of Turkish, Polish and Romanian foreign ministers, Odobescu underlined the importance of trilateral consultations, particularly in security matters, saying their discussions included the Russia-Ukraine war and how NATO can support Ukraine.

She said their talks also covered steps NATO could take on its eastern flank, citing Romania's announcement last week it would provide Ukraine with Patriot air defense.

Odobescu underscored the humanitarian significance of the region beyond its security implications.

He underlined that the three countries play a crucial role in ensuring security in the region.

"We also discussed hybrid warfare. We particularly talked about how dangerous and threatening these types of wars are for the security of adjacent regions," she said.

Odobescu highlighted that Moldova – which some claim Russia may look to attack next – was specifically discussed, saying that Moldova and Ukraine are on the path to joining the EU.

She said that Romania, Türkiye, and Poland agreed to support this process.

Odobescu congratulated outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on his selection as the new NATO secretary general, stressing the need for prioritizing defense and deterrence capabilities on NATO's eastern flank and ensuring effective coordination in efforts to support Ukraine.

Stating that an agreement had been signed for demining the Black Sea, she underscored the importance of this agreement for the safety of maritime activities in the region.

Odobescu voiced NATO members' sense of responsibility for demining the Black Sea and highlighted that this reflects the trilateral cooperation among Bulgaria, Romania, and Türkiye.