June 25, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 25.06.2026, 20:00
Summit. Romanian President Nicuşor Dan attended on Thursday the second meeting of the Eastern Flank Summit (Helsinki Format) in Gdańsk, Poland. The meeting focused on coordination among EU member states in Russia’s immediate vicinity with a view to implementing the Readiness Plan 2030 and other European instruments designed to enhance the Union’s defense capabilities. Nicuşor Dan presented to the European leaders gathered in Gdańsk Romania’s efforts to strengthen its defense and deterrence capabilities. Also, he proposed close coordination during negotiations on the European Union’s future multiannual financial framework, with a view to allocating increased resources to the defense and security sectors. In this context, as a sign of high appreciation for his exceptional contributions to strengthening and deepening bilateral Romanian-Polish relations, as well as for his essential contribution to promoting democratic values in the Eastern , President Nicuşor Dan awarded the National Order of the Star of Romaniato former Polish President Lech Walesa.
Government. The leaders of the former governing coalition in Bucharest—comprising the PSD, PNL, USR, and UDMR—met on Thursday for the first time since the dismissal of the cabinet led by Liberal Ilie Bolojan to establish the terms of an agreement to support a minority government with full powers. They must resolve two issues: the commitments to be included in the national pact—which they must sign and upon which the future government will be sworn in—and who will form it: the PSD with a few technocrats, or the PNL, USR, and UDMR. The PSD wants the document to contain general guidelines regarding the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), integration into the OECD, and economic stability. Social Democratic leader Sorin Grindeanu stated that his government’s program would consist exclusively of Social Democrats if he is appointed prime minister. In contrast, the PNL wants this document to contain concrete elements. For example, regarding the PNRR milestones, the future government must take responsibility in Parliament for the laws that have yet to be adopted, including the wage law. Furthermore, this document must stipulate that the signatory parties will neither initiate nor vote on a motion of no confidence until the end of the year. The PNL, USR, and UDMR are discussing a possible new rotation system for the leadership of the executive branch, an option that has been criticized by the Social Democrats, however. On Friday, President Nicuşor Dan is expecting these leaders to present a concrete proposal for the future cabinet.
Ambassador. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Romania’s ambassador to Russia was summoned on Thursday to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow. During the meeting, the Romanian side was informed that the diplomat serving as acting head of the Consulate General of Romania in St. Petersburg had been declared persona non grata. In addition, the Russian side decided to withdraw its consent for the establishment of that consular post. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalls that, after a Russian drone crashed and exploded over an apartment building in Galați, injuring two people, Bucharest declared the Consul General of the Russian Federation in Constanța persona non grata and ordered the closure of that country’s Consulate General in the Black Sea port city.
Earthquake. The international community is offering aid to Venezuela following the double earthquake—the strongest in the last hundred years—which has left hundreds dead and thousands injured, according to preliminary reports. Washington has announced that it is sending rescue teams, as have Latin American countries, which have assured the Venezuelan people that they are not alone in the face of this catastrophe. The European Union, China, and India have also announced that they are sending aid. The Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate has also expressed its solidarity with the Venezuelan people and with Romanians affected by Wednesday evening’s major earthquakes. The first earthquake had a magnitude of 7.2 on the Richter scale and was followed, 39 seconds later, by a second one measuring 7.5. The earthquakes had different epicenters and occurred at relatively shallow depths, which amplified their destructive effects. The earthquakes, which were followed by 20 aftershocks, were felt as far away as the Colombian capital, Bogotá, more than 1,400 km away.
