Interview Arnold Dupuy: Romania is a “strategic anchor” in South-East Europe in terms of security

The American expert talked, in a large interview for MEDIAFAX and the Defence and Security Monitor (DSM) about Russia’s objectives in Eastern Europe, where Moscow has important interests and he has explained who NATO’s allies can counter cyber threats.

“The way to do it would be through constant exercises, with interactions with your allies, with the US, the other Western allies in the NATO alliance; constant exercises, training, education; bring up new talents, develop these talents and bring them into the overall defence structure that it is so valuable and we see it today”, stated Arnold Dupuy, consultancy expert for Booz Hamilton and analyst for the US Defence Department.

Also, Arnold Dupuy has highlighted “Romania’s extraordinary potential”, but he mentioned a series of internal aspects that it should be focused on, including infrastructure development, attracting investments and increase military interoperability with NATO’s allies.

We are presenting you the entire interview:

MEDIAFAX: Do you think Eastern Europe is a vulnerable area for NATO?

Arnold Dupuy: I believe it is exposed. I believe it is a combination, as a new NATO groups of member states, it has to come to the NATO standards. I has also been a highly dependent group of countries based on energy supplies that are coming from Russia. So it is very vulnerable in that respect. Also, being new members they have to develop their infrastructure and bring their investment, which I think it is very important for their own development.

MEDIAFAX: What measures should we take in order to counter cyber-threats targeting the energy field and prevent political interferences?

Arnold Dupuy: It is a very good question. I think it is very important to address cyber security in a variety of aspects. Primary, the way to do it would be through constant exercises, with interactions with your allies, with the US, the other Western allies  in the NATO alliance; constant exercises, training, education; bring up new talents, develop these talents and bring them into the overall defence structure that it is so valuable and we see it today.

MEDIAFAX: What are Russia’s actions objectives in the Black Sea region, including the control of critical elements in the region?

Arnold Dupuy: I think Russia is trying to maintain its position in the region, its strength in the region as it has for many years, hence, I think it is a continuation of that trend. Russia has very strong interests. Primary, to protect itself, it feels the need to have a buffer, so I think this is important for Russia. But we also need to admit that the local states need to have their own sovereignty in the region.

MEDIAFAX: Speaking about local states, given the current Black Sea evolution, how important is Romania for NATO and the US?

Arnold Dupuy: Romania is very important. I consider Romania really the strategic anchor from security, from commercial aspects in the South-East region, but also the Black Sea region. I see a great potential in Romania because of the well-educated labor force, the motivated labor force you have, the tremendous infrastructure that needs investments, but it is still very well-functional in most respects. But it needs to be expanded, it needs to be consolidated, it needs to be developed. In that respect, NATO is definitely an important aspect to Romanian security and also within NATO and the transatlantic alliance in general.

MEDIAFAX: What should Romania do to strengthen this role in the region?

Arnold Dupuy: Continue to attract investments, continue to be a place where companies can do businesses, continue to look at developing your own energy infrastructure, continue to work in military interoperability, work with the United States, but also with the partners and allies within NATO. Again, continue to work within the transatlantic alliance to develop and make yourself, as you already are, to develop this critical role that Romania already has in the Wider Black Sea region.

Arnold Dupuy is a Booz Allen Hamilton employee working as an analyst at the U.S. Department of Defense in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy (ODASD(OE)). In his capacity at OE, Dr. Dupuy provides qualitative and quantitative analyses of operational energy risks to mission assurance. A particular area of interest is the cyber-energy nexus and geo-political and military operational challenges of energy security within the Trans-Atlantic Alliance, particularly on NATO’s ‘Eastern Flank’. Retired from the United States Army after 25 years of both active and reserve component service, Dr. Dupuy’s last major assignment was in Afghanistan, where he earned the Bronze Star and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medals. In 2016, Dr. Dupuy completed a Ph.D. in Planning, Governance and Globalization at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). His dissertation title is: “Changing Patterns of Regionalism and Security in the Wider Black Sea Area: The Transformative Impact of Energy.” He is an adjunct professor of political science at Virginia Tech and George Mason University, teaching graduate-level international politics and energy geo-politics.

Arnold Dupuy has participated at the security conference organized by the Defence Monitor, part of MEDIAFAX Group.

Defence and Security Monitor organized, Tuesday, the “Transatlantic security bridges over increasing security vision gaps- Romania’s perspective” conference”, among the guests being also security experts, high-level militaries and members of the intelligence services, like: American General Charles Wald, former Deputy Commander of U.S. European Command, Carol Rollie Flynn, associate professor of the National Security Program of the US Research Institute for Foreign Policy, Anthony Pfaff, research professor for the Military Profession and Ethic at the Strategic Studies (SSI), U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, PA, retired Army colonel and Foreign Area Officer (FAO) for the Middle East and North Africa, Hans-Lothar Domröse, Former Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum and Arnold Dupuy (senior analyst on Energetic Security for the US Defence Department).