Romania

===Foreign relations===
{{Main|Foreign relations of Romania}}

[[File:Diplomatic missions of Romania.PNG|thumb|230px|right|Diplomatic missions of Romania]]

[[File:Secretary Tillerson and Romanian President Iohannis Meet Before Reporters in Washington (34356507264).jpg|thumb|230px|right|Romania is a noteworthy ally of the United States, being the first [[NATO]] member state that agreed to support increasing its [[Ministry of National Defence (Romania)|defence]] spending after the 2017 Trump–Iohannis meeting at the [[White House]].]]

Since December 1989, Romania has pursued a policy of strengthening relations with the West in general, more specifically with the United States and the European Union, albeit with limited [[Romania–Russia relations|relations involving]] the Russian Federation. It joined NATO on 29&nbsp;March 2004, the European Union (EU) on 1&nbsp;January 2007, while it joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in 1972, and is a founding member of the [[World Trade Organization]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wto.org/English/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/org6_e.htm |title=Understanding the WTO – members |publisher=WTO |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229021759/http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/org6_e.htm |archive-date=29 December 2009  }}</ref>

In the past, recent governments have stated that one of their goals is to strengthen ties with and helping other countries (in particular [[Moldova]], [[Ukraine]], and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]) with the process of integration with the rest of the West.<ref name=mae>{{cite web|title=Foreign Policy Priorities of Romania for 2008|language=ro|url=http://www.mae.ro/index.php?unde=doc&id=35181&idlnk=1&cat=3|publisher=Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs|access-date=28 August 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914103728/http://www.mae.ro/index.php?unde=doc&id=35181&idlnk=1&cat=3|archive-date=14 September 2008}}</ref> Romania has also made clear since the late 1990s that it supports NATO and EU membership for the democratic former Soviet republics in Eastern Europe and the [[Caucasus]].<ref name=mae /> Romania also declared its public support for [[Turkey]], and [[Croatia]] joining the European Union.<ref name=mae />

Romania opted on 1&nbsp;January 2007, to accede to the [[Schengen Area]], and its bid to join was approved by the [[European Parliament]] in June 2011, but was rejected by the [[Council of the European Union|EU Council]] in September 2011. As of August 2019, its acceptance into the Schengen Area is hampered because the European Council has misgivings about Romania's adherence to the [[rule of law]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/romanias-schengen-accession-in-jeopardy-over-rule-of-law/|title=Romania's Schengen Accession in Jeopardy Over Rule of Law|date=14 May 2019|website=Schengen Visa Info}}</ref> a fundamental principle of EU membership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://europarlamentti.info/en/values-and-objectives/values/|title=EU|website=europarlamentti.info}}</ref>

In December 2005, President Traian Băsescu and [[United States Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]] signed an agreement that would allow a U.S. military presence at several Romanian facilities primarily in the eastern part of the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35722.htm|publisher=U.S. Department of State|title=Background Note: Romania – U.S.-Romanian Relations}}</ref> In May 2009, [[Hillary Clinton]], US Secretary of State, declared that "Romania is one of the most trustworthy and respectable partners of the USA."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bucharestherald.com/politics/34-politics/3116-hillary-clinton-romania-one-of-the-most-trustworthy-and-respectable-partners-of-the-usa-|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090512144240/http://www.bucharestherald.com/politics/34-politics/3116-hillary-clinton-romania-one-of-the-most-trustworthy-and-respectable-partners-of-the-usa-|title=Bucharest Herald Resources & Information|archive-date=12 May 2009|url-status=dead|website=www.bucharestherald.com}}</ref>

[[Romanian-Moldovan relations|Relations with Moldova]] are a special case given that the two countries share the same language and a [[History of Moldavia|common history]].<ref name=mae /> A [[Unification of Moldova and Romania|movement for unification of Moldova and Romania]] appeared in the early 1990s after both countries achieved emancipation from communist rule<ref name=cfis>{{cite journal|url=http://studint.ong.ro/moldova.htm |title=Romania'S Relations with the Republic of Moldova |author1=Gabriel Andreescu |author2=Valentin Stan |author3=Renate Weber |journal=[[International Studies (journal)|International Studies]] |publisher=Centre for International Studies |date=30 October 1994 |access-date=31 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223003657/http://studint.ong.ro/moldova.htm |archive-date=23 February 2008 }}</ref> but lost ground in the mid-1990s when a new Moldovan government pursued an agenda towards preserving a Moldovan republic independent of Romania.<ref name=Ihrig>{{cite web|url=http://www.desk.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/download/es_5_Ihrig.pdf|title=Rediscovering History, Rediscovering Ultimate Truth|first=Stefan|last=Ihrig|access-date=17 September 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001165700/http://www.desk.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/download/es_5_Ihrig.pdf|archive-date=1 October 2008}}</ref> After the [[2009 Moldovan protests|2009 protests in Moldova]] and the subsequent removal of Communists from power, relations between the two countries have improved considerably.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90853/6967255.html|title=Moldova, Romania open new chapter in bilateral relations|work=[[People's Daily]]|access-date=11 August 2011|date=29 April 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518022407/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90853/6967255.html|archive-date=18 May 2013}}</ref>