Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu announced on his Twitter account that the Romanian Embassy in Kiev resumed its activity on the 14th of May.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that the Russian Federation declared as personae non gratae 10 individuals working in the Embassy of Romania in Moscow. According to the MFA, this action was a response to the declaration of personae non gratae by Romania on the 5th of April 2022 of 10 persons working in the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest. MFA recalls that the decision of the Romanian authorities was based on the activities and actions of the 10 individuals, which contravened the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The management of the Romanian Post announced on Friday (13/05) that Romania and other countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ukraine, the U.S. and the United Kingdom supported the removal of Russia from the leadership of the Customs Working Group of the Universal Postal Union. On 16-20 May, Romanian Post will also participate in the plenary session of the UPU Council of Administration, where it will vote in favour of the Draft Resolution on technical assistance to Ukraine and its designated postal operator to support the continuation and reconstruction of the postal infrastructure in the region.

 

#Meetings/Visits/Video Calls

According to a MFA press release, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu received on Friday (13/05) David Muniz, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America in Bucharest.

Main points discussed:

  • Minister Bogdan Aurescu presented the actions that Romania has taken in support of Ukraine and its citizens.
  • Aurescu placed emphasis on #food security and the need to take measures, including through joint international efforts, to facilitate the export of grain from Ukraine to third markets.
  • Minister Aurescu stressed that Romania, through the Port of Constanța, together with the Galați river port and the Danube river, is in the best position in the region to support these efforts.
  • The Romanian minister also pointed at the possibility of creating an international support group for Ukraine to facilitate the transit of Ukrainian products to third markets.
  • The two officials agreed that the implementation of the two major regional interconnection projects, promoted also through the Three Seas Initiative, namely the rail link Constanța – Gdansk (Rail2Sea) and the Via Carpathia road link, is becoming increasingly useful and relevant, with even wider strategic implications.
  • Regarding security developments, Aurescu presented Romania’s priorities for the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers, further pointing out that a strong NATO presence on Romanian territory is essential for our country.
  • The head of Romanian diplomacy also stressed the importance that Romania attaches to the inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program and highlighted the steps being taken to achieve this goal.

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu announced on his Twitter account that he had a brief discussion with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken before the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers about Romania’s efforts and plans to support Ukraine’s economy by facilitating grain exports through the ports of Galați and Constanța, ensuring thus #food security.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu participated at the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers, held in Berlin on 14-15 May, which focused on the prospects of Finland and Sweden joining the Alliance.

Main points below:

  • Aurescu underscored that Romania is an active promoter of NATO’s partnership policy, as well as of the allied “Open Doors” policy, further indicating that Romania is ready to support a rapid accession process for Finland and Sweden.
  • Minister Aurescu further stressed that for Romania, the future contribution of the two Nordic states to the process of strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern Flank is very important in the long term.
  • Touching upon the conflict in Ukraine, Aurescu highlighted Romania’s multidimensional effort to support Ukraine’s effort to defend itself and to support the refugees coming to Romania.
  • Aurescu also pointed out that Romania supports the economy of Ukraine by facilitating the transfer of Ukrainian goods, including grains, through our ports, on the Danube and at the Black Sea through the Constanța Harbour.
  • He also reiterated the need for continued support for the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, who are also under pressure because of the consequences of the war Russia has started in Ukraine.
  • Foreign Minister Aurescu stated that the new Strategic Concept, which would be adopted by Alliance leaders at the end of June, must be focused on collective defence and reflect that Russia will remain the main threat to the Alliance.
  • The head of Romanian diplomacy stressed the need for the New Concept to highlight the relevance given by the Alliance to collective defence, as NATO’s main priority task, and to address the long-term transformation of the Alliance’s position on the Eastern Flank, which holds particular importance for the Euro-Atlantic security.

 

#Refugees

On 15 May, 90,475 persons entered Romania through border points, of which 7,821 were Ukrainian citizens (down by 10.9 % from the previous day). At the border with Ukraine 3,892 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania (down by 18.4%), and at the border with the Republic of Moldova,1,019 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania (down by 11%).

 

Since the onset of this crisis on February 24, until May 15 at 24:00, at national level, 944,197 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania. (Border Police)

 

#DefenceAndSecurity

News.ro reported that Defence Minister Vasile Dîncu visited the Iași garrison on Friday (13/05) and Saturday (14/05). He stressed the importance of allocating a higher percentage of the gross domestic product to defence, starting next year, which would lead to accelerating the modernisation of the Romanian Army and its equipment programmes.

Romanian Border Police announced on Friday (13/05) that border guards at Henri Coandă Airport detected a Syrian citizen in the transit area of the airport who, with the help of a Swedish citizen of Syrian origin, tried to reach Vienna illegally using a British passport. The two were detained and a criminal file was drawn up for the offences of smuggling of migrants, attempted fraudulent crossing of the state border and false identity.

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană declared on Sunday (15/05) that he was “confident” the alliance could overcome Turkey’s objections and quickly admit the two Nordic states, as the alliance prepares for a historic expansion into the northern region, sparked by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Geoană’s declaration was in relation to the Berlin talks that focused on Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership bids last weekend (14-15 May). On Saturday (14/05), Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu unexpectedly raised objections, saying it was “unacceptable and scandalous” that potential new NATO members supported the banned Kurdish militant group PKK.

On Sunday (15/05), NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoană gave an interview for national news television Știrile Pro TV about Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Organization, but also about what Russia’s war in Ukraine currently means for Romania.

Main statements:

  • With regards to Finland and Sweden’s possible accession to NATO, Geoană stated: “I am confident that we will have the necessary consensus and we will be able to receive as soon as possible, if they decide to join us, two countries with perfect democratic capacity, military capability and a net contributor to Euro-Atlantic security.”
  • He also stated that NATO has no indication that there are military intentions or capabilities of the Russian Federation to respond to a possible accession of these two countries.
  • NATO is still interested in security in the region bordering Romania and bordering NATO, and they are concerned about how Georgia has other pressures, not military, from the Russian Federation, rumours about referendums in separatist provinces in Georgia.
  • “We have a moral and strategic obligation to support this country,” said Geoană.