Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. ForMin Odobescu: There is an intense political dialogue...

ForMin Odobescu: There is an intense political dialogue between Romania and Ukraine at all levels

July 1, 2024

 Romania and Ukraine are discussing intensively, at political level, in all areas, Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu said on Friday, mentioning the ongoing negotiations on the Strategic Partnership and the Security Agreement."There is an intense political dialogue between Romania and Ukraine at all levels. You have seen the recent discussion between President Iohannis and President Zelenskyy, the discussions at Government level, at minister level. I have a dialogue, I would say weekly, with my Ukrainian counterpart. We are negotiating two important documents, the negotiations are progressing on the Strategic Partnership document, which is a complex document and covers many areas - because it is a complex bilateral relation, with multiple areas - and this arrangement or Security Agreement, which will be finalised in the coming period," said Minister Odobescu, who participated on Friday in the informal meeting of foreign ministers of NATO member states, held in Prague.She mentioned that the content of the Security Agreement will be public when it is signed.Luminita Odobescu also added that an important objective is the start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova."Romania's position regarding support for Ukraine is clear. We have supported and will continue to support Ukraine multidimensionally, as long as necessary, bilaterally. And here I am talking about everything from the training centre for F-16 pilots to the support for grain transit - an extremely substantial support and appreciated by our partners - to the support in the energy sector, in the humanitarian area. All these aspects will be covered by these documents and, obviously, the support at European level. Our interest and our objective is to officially launch accession negotiations by the end of June and to have the intergovernmental conference with both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova," the head of diplomacy pointed out.In this context, the Romanian official said, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the planning of a "more robust and predictable" support framework for Ukraine."Essentially, these proposals by the NATO Secretary General aim at assuming a greater role for NATO in coordinating security assistance and in coordinating the training process, and at adopting a multi-year financial commitment to ensure the predictability of the support we allies provide to Ukraine. This is substantial progress," added the Foreign minister, adding that the objective is that this package be adopted at the Washington Summit.During the same meeting in Prague, the subject of strengthening the allied defence and deterrence posture through the implementation of the decisions made at the Vilnius Summit, aimed at providing all the elements, from military forces, equipment, logistical support necessary for the implementation of regional defence plans, was discussed."As far as NATO and the Washington Summit are concerned, our interest is to have a very clear message for both Ukraine and Ukrainian citizens regarding Ukraine's NATO accession process," said Minister Luminita Odobescu.   

Read in full - click here
Two Romanian citizens arrested in Switzerland for robbing houses in evacuated village

Two Romanians were arrested during Sunday night, May 11, after robbing empty houses in the evacuated mountain village of Brienz located in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The village had been evacuated since November due to rock falls. The locality was, however, monitored by the authorities to prevent break-ins. The would-be thieves apparently tried to […]

EBRD revises estimates of Romanian economy down to 1.6% in 2025

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or EBRD, has revised its estimates regarding the evolution of the Romanian economy in 2025 downward to 1.6%.  The bank expects Romania’s GDP to grow 0.2% less than the 1.8% estimate made in February, and to increase by 2.4% in 2026. Romania's GDP growth slowed to 0.8% in […]

Cluj-Napoca becomes the first Romanian city to ban smoking in open public spaces

During a meeting on Monday, May 12, the Cluj-Napoca Local Council approved a draft resolution that imposes smoking restrictions in several public spaces in the city, including public transport stations, parks, and sports facilities. The resolution was adopted with 22 votes in favor and 3 abstentions, and will come into effect 90 days from the […]

Nearly two-thirds of entrepreneurs expect layoffs, Romanian Business Leaders survey shows

An internal survey by Romanian Business Leaders, which does not have national representativeness but was answered by 417 entrepreneurs, shows that 62% of entrepreneurs expect to have to make layoffs, while a third expect the number of employees to remain the same. The expected layoffs are directly connected to the possibility of Romania choosing a […]

Romanian referee to oversee UEFA Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan

Romanian Istvan Kovacs will be the main referee for the UEFA Champions League final between Paris St-Germain and Inter Milan, which will be played on May 31 in Munich. The match will be Kovacs’ third European final in the last 4 years. The 40-year-old referee has previously officiated the UEFA Europa Conference League final in […]

Over 70 museums across Romania join 2025 Night of Museums this weekend

Over 70 museums across Romania will open their doors after hours for the 21st edition of Night of Museums, one of the country's most anticipated cultural events. Held on the night of May 17, the event offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore exhibitions, installations, and creative activities in an unconventional, late-night setting.  From major […]