Romania maintains its relevance in the field of security and defence on the Eastern Flank, in an increasingly complex geopolitical context marked by the ongoing war of aggression triggered by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, as well as by crises in other parts of the world that affect global stability, President Nicusor Dan said on Thursday, on the occasion of Land Forces Day.

His message was delivered by the Presidential Adviser for National Security, Marius Lazurca, during the ceremonies held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Carol I Park.

According to the head of state, the Land Forces play a major role in implementing military strategies and are made up of professionals - both military personnel and civilians - who make a valuable contribution to the success of missions in theatres of operations.

'On this solemn day, we honour the memory of the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield and express our deep respect for the veterans who have defended national values, both on the territory of Romania and beyond its borders,' Nicusor Dan said.

He added that the country's status as a 'regional strategic benchmark' is also due to the Land Forces' ability to adapt quickly to new security challenges and to the specific nature of the missions derived from them.

'Together with allies and partners, the Land Forces are involved in ensuring national, regional and Euro-Atlantic security. Today, the Land Forces are a cohesive and dynamic component of the Romanian Armed Forces, with significant results in fulfilling their missions. Recent progress is evident - from accelerating the acquisition of advanced combat equipment through major procurement programmes to improving training through complex multinational exercises,' the President pointed out.

The head of state also recalled Romania's commitment to modernising the Armed Forces and encouraging a military career.

'We have already begun the phased increase of the defence budget in line with commitments undertaken within NATO and will acquire state-of-the-art equipment, including through the use of financial instruments made available by the European Union, in order to strengthen our defensive capacity,' Nicusor Dan emphasised. AGERPRES (RO- writing by: Oana Ghita; EN - writing by: Cristina Zaharia)