Sibiu to become NATO’s command centre for the southern flank

Sibiu is set to be the NATO command centre for the southern flank of the alliance, Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana said on Sunday.

The military decision has already been made, while the political decision will be made at the Vilnius Summit this month, Geoana said in an interview with the local newspaper Turnul Sfatului.

“We are waiting to make a political decision. The military decision, the military opinion, I think, is already formed. (…) The decision, obviously political, must be taken by our leaders”, Geoana said.

During a meeting with military teachers and students in Sibiu, Geoana also mentioned that Ukraine would be “one of the equals around the NATO table” and receive “security guarantees” at the Vilnius Summit.

“I cannot anticipate what our leaders will decide. But there is already a conversation and a decision to upgrade the relationship politically, replacing the current NATO-Ukraine Commission with the NATO-Ukraine Council, which will make the Ukrainians not NATO members, but equals around the NATO table”, Geoana said, adding that ”Ukraine will become a member of the Euro-Atlantic family”.

Geoana voiced support for assisting Ukraine in the medium and long term, noting that, over time, Russia risks becoming dangerous again,” even if Ukraine wins this war, said Geoana.

Geoană was at the Sibiu International Theater Festival (FITS) on the weekend and gave a speech at the Academy of Land Forces in Sibiu.

This year he visited Romania much more frequently, fuelling speculation about a potential presidential candidacy.

Asked by Turnul Sfatului about this possibility, he responded: I’m not saying I’m not interested”. “Until the moment when I make a final decision, I think there is no point in commenting more than necessary”, he added.

(Cătălina Mihai | EURACTIV.ro)