President Dan at latest Coalition of the Willing virtual meeting:Expressed readiness to contribute to strong security guarantees

  President Nicusor Dan declared on Sunday, at the end of a new virtual meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, that Romania has expressed its readiness to contribute, alongside the US and the European partners, to providing solid security guarantees, pointing out that this means a direct investment in Romania's own security."Today, in a new video conference of the Coalition of the Willing, we discussed how we can coordinate our efforts in support of Ukraine, ahead of the upcoming negotiations. (...) Strengthening Ukraine ensures the security of Europe and of our region. As part of the Coalition of the Willing, we expressed our readiness to contribute alongside the US and our European partners to strong security guarantees, indispensable in this peace process. History has shown that Russia does not observe its own commitments. As Ukraine's neighbors, contributing to such security guarantees means investing in our own security," the head of the state said in a Facebook post.He stressed that pressure on Russia - including through new sanctions - must not relent until peace is achieved."We all agree that unity and transatlantic coordination in support of Ukraine remain our source of strength in front of continued aggressive behavior by Russia. Stopping the attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure is the first step for Russia to show that it is committed to real peace negotiations. How can we trust Russia if it continues to kill innocent people? We have to continue to put pressure on Russia, including through new sanctions, until peace is achieved. Ukraine needs our support. No decision on Ukraine can be taken without Ukraine. That is Ukraine's legitimate right," President Nicusor Dan underscored.     On Saturday, President Nicusor Dan states that the meeting in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was ‘the first step to start peace talks’ and for Romania it is essential to keep transatlantic unity and tight coordination between the EU, US, NATO for the decisions to come.The head of state supports that the efforts of the US president, Donald Trump are meant to stop this ‘illegal’ war and prepare the way towards a just and durable peace.'These negotiations must take into account Ukraine's interests, but also those of the Europeans. Ukraine must decide its own fate and Russia must not have a veto. This is why it is important that President Zelenski will go to Washington to discuss next steps with President Trump. It is also crucial for Ukraine that President Donald Trump puts pressure on Russia to continue negotiations. We support his efforts to organize a trilateral summit with European support,' Nicusor Dan wrote on Saturday on social media platform X.   As regards Russia, the Romanian president considers that this state must be clearly heading on the way of peace and the attacks on the civilians and civil infrastructure to stop.'Our position has remained unchanged, in support of Ukraine and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and reaching an unconditional cessation of hostilities. International borders must not be changed by force. Within the Coalition of the Willing we have discussed about providing the necessary security guarantees, and the US involvement announced by President Donald Trump is both welcome and decisive in the peace process', Nicusor Dan added.  (Photo:https://www.presidency.ro/)