US Vice-President Biden to Visit Romania

US Vice-President Joe Biden is to visit Bucharest for talks with Romanian leaders on the volatile situation in Ukraine, among other matters.

President Traian Basescu on Monday said he had invited Biden to Romania, but declined to specify the timing of the visit.

"The US Vice-President offered an approximate date, and we both agreed to simultaneously unveil statements regarding this visit," Basescu said.

The news agency Mediafax reported that Biden will arrive next week, adding that the unfolding situation in Ukraine will be at the top of the agenda. It said US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is also to visit Bucharest some time soon.

NATO-member Romania is one of Washington’s strongest supporters among the ex-Communist countries of Eastern Europe.

Earlier this month, Romania urged the US and NATO to boost their military presence in the country to shore up stability in the Black Sea region.

The US has already said it plans to deploy 600 more marines in southeastern Romania at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport Administrative Center.

Following the new deployment, the total size of the US military presence in Romania will reach 1,600 troops. Mihail Kogalniceanu airport became a major US military base in 2007.

Romania, which has a 694km-long border with Ukraine, has been among the strongest regional backers of Western sanctions against Russia since it annexed Crimea.

Romanian leaders have voiced alarm that pro-Russian separatists in eastern and southern Ukraine could link up with neighbouring Moldova's breakway Transnistria region. Moldova was formerly part of Romania, which firmly supports Moldova's territorial integrity.