---
title: "Romania reaffirms steadfast backing for Moldova and Ukraine at annual diplomatic summit"
url: https://moldova1.md/p/84352/romania-reaffirms-steadfast-backing-for-moldova-and-ukraine-at-annual-diplomatic-summit
published: 2026-09-01T08:50:00Z
language: en
author: "Nicoleta Borodin"
section: "Political"
source: moldova1.md
---

# Romania reaffirms steadfast backing for Moldova and Ukraine at annual diplomatic summit

> Romanian President Nicușor Dan reaffirmed Bucharest’s steadfast support for Ukraine and Moldova on Tuesday, urging an expeditious end to Russia’s war while calling for sustained economic sanctions against Moscow.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/a7055bd2-b6cf-48d5-8de0-f9a2ff243f7d.jpg)

Romanian President Nicușor Dan reaffirmed Bucharest’s steadfast support for Ukraine and Moldova on Tuesday, urging an expeditious end to Russia’s war while calling for sustained economic sanctions against Moscow.

Speaking before heads of diplomatic missions, consular posts, and cultural institutes gathered at Cotroceni Palace for the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy, the head of state emphasized regional security and European integration.

*“Regarding our immediate neighborhood, we naturally support the Coalition of the Willing. We seek the swiftest possible end to the war in Ukraine and enduring peace across our region. To this end, we support Ukraine both bilaterally and through multilateral formats, and we back ongoing pressure measures, particularly economic sanctions on Russia,”* President Dan said.

**EU enlargement and regional energy corridors**

Addressing the European aspirations of neighboring states, the Romanian president stressed that European Union enlargement must strictly uphold the merit-based principle.

*“We endorse the integration process for the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans without wavering from merit-based criteria, and we welcome the opening of negotiation clusters for Moldova and Ukraine,”* Dan stated.

President Dan highlighted the strategic bilateral partnership with Chisinau, pointing to tangible progress in cross-border energy interconnections. He framed the Black Sea as pivotal for European security, noting future regional supply links anchored by the Neptun Deep offshore natural gas project.

On relations with Kyiv, Dan welcomed progress following the bilateral Strategic Partnership, noting that Ukraine’s official celebration of Romanian Language Day on August 31 has alleviated long-standing minority education concerns.

**Domestic political transition and foreign service priorities**

Reflecting on domestic governance, President Dan acknowledged delays in the anticipated summer cabinet rotation, describing an unforeseen political crisis that complicated the transition. He advocated securing a robust institutional standing and appropriate budgetary resources for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the incoming government.

The president outlined three core foreign policy priorities: enhancing defense deterrence, supporting Romanian communities abroad, and expanding economic diplomacy. He stressed active engagement in transatlantic security frameworks, including the Bucharest Nine (B9) format and the Coalition of the Willing, while seeking deeper bilateral economic ties with the United States.

Dan also announced that Romania has fulfilled all 25 technical review committee requirements for accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with Bucharest now awaiting a final political decision. In parallel, Romania is advancing a candidate for secretary-general of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and seeking to leverage EU trade agreements across Latin America and the Indo-Pacific.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/467fd0de-6e34-4fa3-ad97-5493b0e4f827.jpg)