Following Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu’s meetings with top Biden Administration officials, the Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation met with key congressional leaders in a continuation of PSD outreach that began in 2022. As a frontline nation bordering the conflict in Ukraine, the Prime Minister sought to put NATO’s eastern frontier at the center of attention.
While in Washington, Prime Minister Ciolacu met with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who introduced the Black Sea Security Act in the Senate. Additionally, the Prime Minister met with Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee; and Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX, 10th), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
During the meetings, the Prime Minister emphasized that Romania is a reliable U.S. partner strategically placed along the Ukrainian border and the Black Sea. He stressed the need for greater U.S. support to rejuvenate the Romanian economy, which has been under extra strain because of the war in Ukraine, and the abounding opportunities to strengthen regional stability through increased security and economic cooperation.
The Prime Minister’s trip to the Hill was the capstone of proactive PSD outreach to the U.S. legislature. Through these efforts, the PSD helped push for the inclusion of the Black Sea Security Act in NDAA legislation, educated key Hill constituencies on the vital role of Romania, and introduced the country as an economic destination for American businesses to consider.
Showing his dedication to working with and creating stronger business partnerships, Ciolacu followed up his Hill meetings by meeting with Google and Lockheed Martin executives. When expressing the importance of these meetings, he said, “Romania needs greater economic engagement from America and our allies to help job creation and fend off the rise of far-right political parties that would seek another path for our country’s foreign policy.” He went on to say, “The Black Sea region holds immense strategic and economic importance, and our dialogue underscores the shared responsibility we hold in ensuring its stability and safeguarding the interests of our nations.”
