Romanian President Supports Upgrade Of NATO Battlegroup In Romania To Brigade

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that the NATO Forward Presence Battlegroup (BGFP) in Romania must be reinforced to a brigade to be ready to respond to a potential threat at any time

CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th July, 2023) Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that the NATO Forward Presence Battlegroup (BGFP) in Romania must be reinforced to a brigade to be ready to respond to a potential threat at any time.

"Our request was to upgrade NATO BGFPs to brigades. It was accepted, but we'll see how this would turn out. We as a host country (to) provide (the troops) with all which is necessary. The host country takes care of the personnel, the equipment and all the necessary weapons," he told reporters ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

The president added that it was not about a permanent presence, but rather a rapid response force.

"This is a good format, because there will be no enormous spending on permanently deployed troops, but they will be there when it is necessary," he said.

The BGFP in Romania was established in May 2022 and consists of troops from France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The combat group's purpose is to deter and defend the alliance's eastern flank. Its current armaments include light armored vehicles and tanks.