The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, on Thursday sent a joint statement regarding the Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, while attending the European Political Community (EPC) Summit hosted by the Republic of Moldova today.
“The President of Romania and the President of Ukraine welcome Ukraine’s significant progress in advancing on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration; they confirm their commitment to strengthen joint efforts to support Ukraine’s integration with the Alliance and to implement NATO standards; they also express their willingness to organize bilateral consultations regarding the international security guarantees for Ukraine before obtaining the status of a NATO member, based on the Kyiv Security Pact of September 13, 2022,” reads the statement signed by the two heads of state.
According to the same document, Romania will continue to promote the Alliance’s political and practical support for Ukraine in order to ensure Ukraine’s ability to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Ukraine will continue to deepen its interoperability with NATO and to modernize its security and military forces.
“Ukraine particularly appreciates the political and practical support offered by Romania and the Romanian people in these critical moments (…) the welcoming of refugees, transit through the national territory of international assistance, facilitation of grain exports, support for Ukraine’s national defence efforts and increasing resilience, including increasing defence capabilities; Ukraine welcomes the efforts and initiatives proposed by Romania regarding post-conflict reconstruction,” the joint statement states.
According to the same source, Romania will support Ukraine as long as necessary, will continue to offer multidimensional support for Ukraine and request the strengthening of international support and assistance for Ukraine. Romania will support Ukraine in post-conflict reconstruction and recovery in order to ensure a stable, safe and resilient state.
Also, the joint statement shows, the two heads of state note that Romania supports Ukraine in order to obtain the status of a NATO member state, as soon as the conditions are met, and continues to work together to support the stability and resilience of the vulnerable states in the region affected by the Russian Federation’s war of aggression, to ensure the freedom and safety of navigation in the Black Sea, in compliance with the international norms and principles, but also to achieve security, stability, democracy and lasting prosperity in the Black Sea region.
The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, attended the second summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in the Republic of Moldova. Approximately 50 presidents, prime ministers and high-ranking European officials are present at the summit held at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca village, Anenii Noi district, located approximately 35 kilometers from Chisinau, the capital city of the Republic of Moldova.
Iohannis reiterates the importance of support for Ukraine. For Moldova: You are not alone
At the summit, President Klaus Iohannis reiterated the importance of support for Ukraine, a country that continues to be the target of Russia’s “merciless” attacks.
The head of state said that the summit hosted by the Republic of Moldova is illustrative of the European vocation of the Republic of Moldova, of the seriousness of the reform efforts dedicated to its accession to the European Union and “proves the focus of attention on the entire Eastern Neighborhood and the Black Sea region.”
“We must be more and more aware of the geostrategic challenges facing countries like Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. I want to take this opportunity to welcome the presence of President Zelenski today. Mr. President, we are united in our strong support for Ukraine and its people who continue to be the target of Russia’s merciless attacks. The military aggression against Ukraine represents the most disruptive period since the Cold War. It is our responsibility, as a community of European democratic states, to respond to this historical moment and support the most vulnerable among us. These states have chosen the path of democracy to protect their independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, upholding the values that have always been the basis of our struggle for freedom and democracy. (…) Our summit must strongly reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine and its citizens to defeat Russian aggression and rebuild a peace based on the principles of the UN Charter,” Iohannis said.
President Klaus Iohannis also underscored that this summit must also be an expression of the common capacity to promote peace, stability and democracy in Europe and beyond Europe.
The head of state welcomed the efforts of the leadership in Chisinau in managing the process of reforms necessary for integration into the European Union and combating hybrid threats aimed at compromising stability and resilience, while stating that Romania offered all the support to the Republic of Moldova.
“Romania has provided crucial support for managing these challenges: by providing expertise in European affairs, to speed up the reform process and initiate EU accession negotiations, this year, by providing substantial financial and sectoral assistance. The Moldova Support Platform, launched by Romania together with France and Germany, the new sanctions regime adopted by the European Union with the first lists of people who acted against the stability of the state and the new EU Partnership Mission in the Republic of Moldova are other concrete examples of our support,“, Iohannis added.
He pointed out that the European Union’s support for the Republic of Moldova must benefit from more visibility.
“I want to send a message to all the citizens of the Republic of Moldova: you are not alone! The European Union and the other partners are here, for the Republic of Moldova. Consolidating the Republic of Moldova also means strengthening the strategic resilience of Europe. What we must do is to offer our support more visibility for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. It is important that they see a concrete improvement in their daily lives. This is a crucial element for a success story of the Republic of Moldova,” said President Iohannis.
The Romanian head of state also told a press conference that, given its membership in NATO, Romania cannot provide “direct military” support to Moldova, in the event of an extension of the conflict in Ukraine, it could still help with equipping or improving the troops.
Volodymyr Zelensky delivers message in Romanian language
While attending the EPC Summit, the President of Ukraine sent a message on Telegram in three languages: Ukrainian, Romanian and English.
“Moldova and Ukraine are not only neighboring states, but also reliable partners. We will continue to strengthen cooperation between our countries and together counter Russia’s challenges,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky was the first leader to arrive at the summit, being received by Maia Sandu. The two shook hands and greeted the crowd.
Volodymyr Zelensky gave a speech and answered journalists’ questions. He said that it was not easy to come to the Republic of Moldova, but he wanted to convey the message that Ukrainians are with the Moldovan people.
Zelensky stated that the future of the two countries is in the European Union and pointed out that security guarantees are important for both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, because Russia could also attack other areas in Europe.