Vice President Kamala Harris was holding a joint press conference with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine when the broadcast was cut off unexpectedly.
The interruption of the transmission occurred in the middle of Mr. Iohannis’s reply on all the networks on which the transmission is taking place, as well as on the official website of the Romanian Presidency.
The Vice President met with the President of Romania at the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest on the third day of her visit to Europe.
Shortly before the channel from Romania was lost, Ms Harris said there were no clear signs that Russian President Vladimir Putin was interested in softening his attacks on Ukraine.
“The United States sincerely tried to actively engage in diplomacy. And from all we know and have seen, Putin shows no sign of serious diplomacy,” she said.
Ms Harris said that Russia is applying its strategy of lies, disinformation and acts of aggression in Ukraine.
Her remarks come as the US Senate has just passed a $1.5 trillion general spending bill that includes aid to Ukraine.
Vice President Kamala Harris shakes hands with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis after their joint press conference at the Cotroceni Palace in Otopeni, Romania.
(AP)
The Vice President and President Iohannis met at around 2:15 pm local time in the Cotroceni Palace’s Hall of Honor and then began a bilateral meeting in the Hall of Honor.
The two leaders walked over to a large wooden table where Ms. Harris signed the guest book while President Iohannis watched.
Mr. Iohannis introduced the vice president to Prime Minister Nicolae Chuca, and Ms. Harris introduced him to her national security adviser, Nancy McEldowney.
“Your visit here is a strength and living proof of our strong partnership,” Mr. Iohannis told Ms. Harris.
“That’s why I’m here to reaffirm our commitment to this partnership, and to the NATO alliance as a whole,” the Vice President replied.
Ms. Harris also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to NATO Article 5, which states that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all members of the alliance.
The VP’s travel pool reports that the briefing ended in about 30 minutes. Ms. Harris then headed to the airport.
Some protesters were seen walking down the road from the palace holding banners that showed Ms. Harris’s face next to Mr. Putin’s. Others say: “We Romanians want neutrality.”
The meeting with the President of Romania concludes Mrs. Harris’s diplomatic mission in Poland and Romania.
Both states are NATO members, border Ukraine, and have faced an influx of refugees since Russia began its invasion of the country just over two weeks ago.