Dănuţ Sebastian Neculăescu: Romania Supports Ukraine and is Interested in Solving All Problematic Issues

Romania is interested in discussing all the disputable issues with Ukraine in all formats and will never refuse to support the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine.

Dănuţ Sebastian Neculăescu, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, stated this during the 11th Kyiv Security Forum in Kyiv.

“The problems that exist in the Black Sea Region are longer than the aggression and the trampling on the international law, which took place four years ago. Romania has constantly signaled that there were tensions in the region and that challenges for the whole region were increasing. Then in 2014, these tragic events occurred. And as before, Romania considers the annexation of the Crimea by Russia an illegal act and a serious violation of the international law. I would like to emphasize that Romania supports sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine. This is our principled position, which we will not refuse. And this is a clear signal that I would like to send to everyone at this Forum,” he stated.

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania pointed out that 4 years have passed since 2014, but the militarization of the Black Sea Region was only growing, and the problems were increasing.

“NATO offered a unified approach to addressing this problem and strengthened its forces on the east and south-eastern flank. And we have worked persistently on it ... We are increasing our potential, including the military potential. We need to voice this out if we are looking for solutions to problems, at least in the nearest future,” he said.

Dănuţ Sebastian Neculăescu stressed the importance of strengthening each country’s military capabilities, as well as developing and implementing the European standards in politics and in the military sphere: “Ukraine can learn from the experience of Romania. We have passed this stage and we have benefited from these NATO and European standards because these standards serve the people.”

“Romania is interested in continuing the discussion with Ukraine in all formats, in the EU format, in the format of NATO, and in a bilateral format. That is why I am here. We should solve the problems that exist between our countries,” he added.

For reference:

The annual international event Kyiv Security Forum was launched by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation Open Ukraine in 2007 as a platform for high-level discussions on the current issues in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum aims at increasing security cooperation between the EU and the Black Sea region, raising awareness about regional developments among key regional players, promoting the role of independent and non-governmental actors in setting the security agenda in Europe.

The event is being held with the support of NATO Information and Documentation Center in Ukraine, the German Marshall Fund, The Victor Pinchuk Foundation, The Royal Institute of International Relations, Chatham House (UK), and The Regional Representative Office of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Ukraine.