OPINION
Romania has made many positive strides in the right direction since the revolution of 1989.
However, the revolution was never finished in Romania.
Russia's malevolent influence due to its geographical proximity to Romania and Romania's continuing relationship with the Communist Chinese create many issues undermining Romania's economic and democratic advances, as well as its credibility as an erstwhile U.S. and NATO ally.
This scenario has been exacerbated over the last three and a half years due to the absence of U.S. leadership and vision.
Romania's resolve and ability to oppose continued pressure and malignant influence from the Communist Chinese and Russia has been diminished.
There is increasing Chinese and Russian influence in Romania's national defense, intelligence, economy, and social fabric.
The advances made during the Trump administration to diminish and push back against Chinese and Russian influence have been undone.
As a result, Romania has been backtracking over the last three and a half years.
Sadly, there are numerous such examples, but some of the more recent significant ones stand out. Romania, like many other U.S. allies, was recently asked by the U.S. government to deliver a Patriot Missile battery to Ukraine.
Following weeks, if not longer, of deliberations by the Romanian government's national security council, Romania agreed to deliver a Patriot battery to Ukraine.
Its decision to do so was announced publicly in mid-June 2024 by President Klaus Iohannis. However, to date the Romanian Defense ministry has refused to do so.
The reason for this refusal can only be, at best, speculated about, but remains troubling nonetheless.
Romania purchased, and paid for, seven Patriot batteries over four years ago during the Trump administration.
To date four Patriot batteries have been delivered, two are functioning and two are not, for various reasons.
The Patriot battery to be delivered to Ukraine is one of the two non-functioning batteries.
The remaining three Patriot batteries on order are slated to be delivered at some future, yet unspecified, date.
The Biden/Harris administration is still on peacetime military production schedules and cannot advise as to when the remaining Patriots will be delivered.
The Mihai Kogălniceanu ("MK") military base, which is used by most of the United States military and NATO forces in Romania is being expanded almost tenfold.
The construction work is being performed by a joint venture between a Romanian construction company and an Austrian one: Strabag.
Strabag's largest shareholder, directly and indirectly, is a sanctioned Russian oligarch and crony of Vladimir Putin, Oleg Deliparska.
It's difficult to comprehend how U.S. and NATO forces will be able to securely use a base built by a construction company influenced by a sanctioned Russian oligarch.
It's even harder to rationalize how an American and NATO ally would allow a construction company under the influence of a Russian oligarch to have access to, let alone build its principal military base.
Romania, after much pressure during the Trump administration, passed a law protecting communication networks and pathways from Chinese hacking and banned Huawei, ZTE and other Communist Chinese companies from Romania's 5G infrastructure and other telecommunications networks.
However, in August of 2023 Romania's national security council gave Lenovo, a Communist Chinese technology company, a special exemption to bid on the Romanian 5G infrastructure build out.
Shockingly, after much press criticism a Romanian general on the Romanian national security council declared that Lenovo is a Hong Kong company and not subject to communist Chinese laws.
This not only misrepresents the current reality in Hong Kong, but also fails to accurately reflect Lenovo's true ownership structure and the Communist Chinese interests therein.
All Chinese companies are required by Communist Chinese law to share any and all information in their possession with the Communist Chinese government.
Hikvision, the Communist Chinese maker of surveillance cameras has been a source of spying and major global concern for the U.S., NATO, and their allies.
However, in Romania many, if not most, surveillance cameras at government offices, facilities, military bases, and the presidential palace are made by Hikvision. Once these cameras are connected to the internet all images can be accessed in real time by Beijing.
The Chinese also have many other business and influence centers in Romania.
For example, there are a number of Confucius centers, cultural institutes, and the like.
It's not coincidental that the latest Chinese cultural center was opened directly across the street from the Romanian Cyber Security center.
Romania has made great progress since 1989.
However much more has to be done. Chinese and Russian malevolent influence in the Romanian government and society must be eliminated.
Romania can’t do this alone.
It needs real leadership, vision and support from its best and closest ally, the United States.
Unfortunately, the lack of leadership, by the United States, over the last three and a half years has adversely impacted not just Romania, but many other countries globally.
Adrian Zuckerman was the United States ambassador to Romania, from 2019 to 2021.