As tensions between Washington and Brussels flared at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Romania’s foreign minister struck a cautious but steady tone, rejecting claims that transatlantic unity is on the verge of collapse. Speaking to TVP World, Oana-Silvia Ţoiu said the escalating dispute between the United States and Europe—triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and remarks on Greenland—should be treated as a moment for de-escalation rather than rupture. “No, that’s the short answer,” she said when asked whether this marked the end of transatlantic unity. “It’s actually quite good that this is happening while we are here at Davos… when people are in the same place and they can talk to each other.” She argued that the forum’s mix of political leaders, business executives and civil society can help generate “the next step necessary, which is a de-escalation.” Ţoiu stressed that the transatlantic relationship remains the backbone of Europe’s security and prosperity, pointing to more than €1 trillion in cross-Atlantic investment. “If you look at it beyond the current moment, it stays at the base of our collective security and our economic growth,” she said. She warned that tariffs imposed at short notice undermine predictability and harm businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. “Predictability and not tariffs is what generates growth, jobs and prosperity,” Ţoiu said, adding that sudden measures make it “very hard for business to adjust” and can have negative consequences even for American firms. On possible EU retaliation, she emphasized the need for unity. “Once the market of one country is affected, that has an indirect effect on the entire market,” she said, arguing that negotiating together gives the bloc “a much stronger negotiating power” than acting alone. Romania weighs Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ Ţoiu also addressed President Trump’s proposal to create a “Board of Peace,” initially focused on Gaza. Romania has received an invitation, she confirmed, citing its diplomatic record. “Romania is one of the few countries that has had uninterrupted diplomatic relations with both Palestine and Israel,” she said, pointing to humanitarian efforts such as medical evacuations from Gaza. However, Bucharest is still assessing the implications. “Three or four days are not enough to assess the wider legal and financial implications,” Ţoiu said, warning of potential overlap with existing United Nations mechanisms. On NATO, she dismissed speculation about the alliance’s decline. “It would be a disastrous mistake to give up on NATO,” she said, adding that as long as Article Five remains credible, allied security—including Greenland—rests on collective defense. “The idea that territory must be owned to be protected only applies if NATO is weak.” For Romania, the message from Davos is clear: de-escalate tensions, preserve European unity, and keep the transatlantic partnership intact.
