Cluj-Napoca, Romania – “I guarantee you, no Romanian ought to concern for the security of himself and his household,” Romanian President Klaus Iohannis mentioned on Thursday, shortly after Russian troops launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine – its largest army deployment since World Warfare II.
“Romania enjoys the widest doable safety ensures. By no means in our historical past have we been higher protected in opposition to any potential aggression. Romania won’t be drawn into the army battle in Ukraine,” mentioned the Romanian chief.
In a TV tackle the identical night, Defence Minister Vasile Dancu mentioned Romanians “usually are not at risk” and that they shouldn’t be apprehensive as a result of there “received’t be a army battle between NATO and Russia”.
Nevertheless, the assurances from the management of the nation of 19 million folks might have little impact in Romania, a NATO member since 2004, the place many have been on edge for the reason that Russian assault on Ukraine.
Romania’s concern is rooted in repeated Russian invasions over the centuries. The Russian-controlled territory of Transnistria in Moldova, simply 100 miles (160km) from the Romanian border, is Moscow’s western-most garrison.
Romania pledged “unconditional political assist” for Ukraine within the occasion of a Russian invasion and has supplied Ukraine with cybersecurity backing.
A protester holds a drawing of jap Ukraine and Moldovan territories with ‘not Russia’ written on them throughout a protest outdoors the Ukrainian embassy in Romania [Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea via Reuters]As bombs started to fall in Ukraine early on Thursday morning, Bucharest-based scholar Valentin Lăzureanu woke as much as a cascade of notifications on his cellphone asserting the Russian assault.
“When the information and photos began coming in, I realised we didn’t have a devoted house for it and everybody was getting their info from so many scattered sources,” the 24-year-old informed Al Jazeera.
Lăzureanu created a Fb group the place folks might share sources and confirm info to assist one another perceive what was occurring throughout the border.
Since then, younger Romanians within the group – referred to as Warfare Room – have been discussing doable eventualities that might even engulf their nation.
“How seemingly is it that they’d invade Romania as nicely?” requested one within the group.
Romanian overseas coverage analyst Oana Popescu-Zamfir informed Al Jazeera that whereas a direct army battle between Russia and Romania is unlikely, political, financial and social repercussions of the Ukraine invasion are “palpable”.
“There’s a degradation of the regional safety scenario,” mentioned Popescu-Zamfir. “This impacts Romania economically as a result of all the area is perceived by traders as having a better danger of funding.”
Popescu-Zamfir additionally famous that Romania, like a lot of Europe, depends on Russian gasoline. The battle might set off a spike in gasoline costs or full interruption of gasoline flows into Romania.
A satellite tv for pc picture exhibits a protracted visitors jam of autos leaving Ukraine, close to Siret, Romania [Courtesy of Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters]Ukrainians search asylum in Romania
Apart from the financial impact, Romania has additionally obtained greater than 10,000 Ukrainian asylum seekers at their northern and jap borders for the reason that Russian invasion.
Earlier this week, Defence Minister Dincu mentioned Romania was able to taking in half 1,000,000 refugees.
Nevertheless, in response to Romanian media studies, no initiative has but been taken to construct camps for the Ukrainian asylum seekers.
That lack of presidency motion has prompted many Romanians to type one other Fb group, United for Ukraine, the place virtually 50,000 folks have provided to pay for Ukrainian asylum seekers’ flights or lodge bills, and even present them with locations to sleep.
Ukraine additionally has a sizeable Romanian inhabitants of about 150,000 folks, a lot of whom are anticipated to return to Romania within the coming days.
‘US will defend each centimetre of NATO’
When US President Joe Biden introduced extra sanctions in opposition to Russia on Thursday night, he additionally dedicated to sending extra troops to Romania, a strategic NATO accomplice within the area which hosts alliance bases and a key missile defence system.
“If he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) strikes in NATO international locations, we’ll get entangled,” mentioned Biden in his tackle, which was broadly reported in Romania.
“The US will defend each centimetre of NATO,” mentioned Biden.
Within the leadup to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany and France additionally despatched weapons, troops and plane to Romania, which has been staunch in its assist of the transatlantic alliance and its condemnation of Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
However in response to overseas coverage professional Popescu-Zamfir, central and Japanese European international locations have “repeatedly identified the hazard of Russian aggression”.
Popescu-Zamfir believes the Black Sea, which Romania shares with Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey, stays “an especially susceptible space”.
“Romania, particularly, made efforts after the [2016] NATO summit in Warsaw when extra significance was given to the Baltic international locations and Poland, whereas we didn’t have any contingency plans for the Black Sea,” she informed Al Jazeera.
In the meantime, the Romanian media have been holding a round the clock watch on the developments in Ukraine, additionally measuring how the invasion might have an effect on their nation.
“I’m hopeful the West will reply to Russia’s aggression with unity,” mentioned Lăzureanu.
A lady holds her little one’s hand as they arrive from Ukraine to Romania, at Sighetu Marmatiei border crossing close to Baia Mare, Romania [Fedja Grulovic/Reuters]‘Will they invade Moldova?’
Many in Romania are additionally apprehensive about Moldova, a nation of two.6 million folks which has robust historic and linguistic ties with Romania however isn’t part of NATO.
“In some ways, the Republic of Moldova is an extension of Romania,” Popescu-Zamfir informed Al Jazeera.
“Will they invade Moldova as nicely?” requested one of many members of Warfare Room, the Fb web page created by Lăzureanu.
Former Romanian President Traian Basescu even urged the federal government to do a “snap referendum” to unite Moldova and Romania to discourage Russia from advancing into the territories.
Whereas President Iohannis didn’t entertain the concept, he spoke to his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu after Russia attacked Ukraine and warranted her of assist in case of any Russian aggression.
Within the early twentieth century, Romania and Moldova have been united as the identical nation, however in 1940, Moldova turned a republic of the Soviet Union.
The trendy-day Republic of Moldova, created after the Soviet Union fell in 1991, stays influenced socially and politically by Russia.
Most Moldovans converse Russian and ethnic Russians dwelling in Moldova splintered off and declared their unbiased republic in Transnistria in 1990.