Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday evening that Ukraine has started “a new diplomatic and security format”, called the “Kyiv Initiative”, aimed at strengthening relations with its neighbors, including Romania, “in the Euro-Atlantic direction”.
“A new diplomatic and security format, the Kyiv Initiative, was founded today. Ukraine’s European neighbors are already participating in its work. These are Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and the Baltic states. We will gradually involve other countries. In the format of the Kyiv Initiative, the activity is carried out at the level of the foreign policy advisers of the heads of state”, announced Volodymyr Zelensky in his daily speech at the end of the day, to which he has accustomed his compatriots since the beginning of the war.
According to CNN, the Ukrainian president believes that the Kyiv Initiative helps Ukraine in its Euro-Atlantic path. The initiative is “a very promising line of our activity in the Euro-Atlantic direction,” Volodymyr Zelensky told Ukrainians. “This format allows us to strengthen our cooperation in the region and protect our interests, primarily in the field of security,” he stated.
From the Romanian side, the presidential advisor for European affairs Luminiţa Odobescu participated in the high-level meeting announced by Zelenski. She specified that, together with the discussion partners, she also made a strategic assessment after the six months since the start of the war and spoke about the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, as well as the support given to the neighboring state by the international community in multiple fields.
“I participated today, in Kyiv, at the invitation of the Ukrainian side, in the high-level meeting entitled ‘Kyiv Initiative’, together with the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and counterparts from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. We addressed topics related to the invasion of the Russian Federation, including a strategic assessment six months after the start of the war, aspects aimed at the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, as well as the support given to the neighboring state by the international community in multiple fields“, Luminiţa Odobescu posted on Facebook.
Luminița Odobescu said that at the meeting she reaffirmed Romania’s support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine and emphasized that in order to promote the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of this state, political stimulation must also be reflected through technical support. In addition, Romania wants to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine.