Germany’s ambassador to Romania, Peer Gebauer, said on the airfield after the first plane landed that the deployment “underlines our resolve to stay strong in this time of crisis.”“This AWACS surveillance mission, which is to start today in Romania, is another proof of our resolve — of our commitment to defend every inch of allied territory,” he said.The AWACS have also performed regular patrols over eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea region to track Russian warplanes near NATO borders.NATO allies US, Turkey try to mend fences but rifts persistAt Davos, Zelenskyy urges allies to speed up push vs. RussiaNATO warns of Russia's long war in Ukraine, vows to be readyUS, Ukraine top military chiefs meet in person for 1st timeSebastien Slavitescu, a NATO expert and former Romanian diplomat, said the AWACS could offer reassurance to countries close to the war, such as Romania, which borders Ukraine.“These planes or any increased military assistance for Romania in these challenging times in our vicinity are most welcome.”He added that the AWACS missions send a clear message to Moscow: “We’re watching you, we know what you’re doing.”Romania, which joined NATO in 2004, has played an increasingly large role in the alliance throughout the war, including hosting a NATO meeting of foreign ministers in Bucharest last November.The AWACS Boeing E-3s were jointly purchased in 1977 at the height of the Cold War, when Jimmy Carter became U.S. president and as a missile crisis with the Soviet Union was beginning to fester in Europe."