Buna ziua! My name is Geoff Pyatt, and I am the State Department’s new Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources. I am really delighted to be here in Bucharest as part of my first trip as Assistant Secretary.
I lived in Ukraine for three years as an American Ambassador, from 2013 to 2016 and I was right next to Romania on any number of occasions— in Bessarabia, in Chernivtsi, and on the river Tisa.
But I am here now to reflect the Biden Administration’s strong commitment to reinforcing our transatlantic energy security relationship, at a critical moment for the global energy system. The United States so appreciates Romania’s leadership in our collective response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, your work with regional partners from Ukraine and Moldova at the recent energy summit in Odessa and your unique role in helping the people of Moldova to navigate through what is necessarily going to be a difficult winter.
Your leadership has been essential to bolstering energy security across South-Eastern Europe and pushing back against Russia’s weaponization of its energy resources. I urge Romania to continue to lead the efforts to diversify away from Russian energy sources and to help us move towards clean energy like wind and nuclear power, which is such an important part of the U.S. partnership with the Government of Romania.
Ultimately, our collective efforts and our cooperation will lead to greater energy security and help us also to meet the climate crisis head on. This is the only path to long-term energy security. As we celebrate 25 years of the U.S. – Romania strategic partnership, I look forward to continuing to work together with the team at our Embassy in Bucharest to prioritize our shared goals on regional and international energy security and to make sure that we continue to work jointly to build the sustainable, clean and prosperous future that all of our people seek.
Thank you so much.
Original source can be found here.
