March 3, 2022

Romania to set up humanitarian hub for Ukraine./International Criminal Court launches investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine./ Eight Romanian military killed in plane and helicopter crashes.

Newsroom, 03.03.2022, 13:55

Aid. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis today had
talks in Bucharest with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen
about intensifying humanitarian support for neighbouring Ukraine. The president
said efforts are under way to make a logistical hub operational in Romania as
soon as possible, to coordinate the collection and delivery of humanitarian aid
to Ukraine, with Romania also planning to access EU funds for the management of
the huge inflow of refugees. The Commission president said Romania was an
example for the entire world in the way it mobilised itself to help Ukrainian
refugees. She also spoke about the tough sanctions imposed on Russia by the
international community. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo
Grandi is also in Romania.

Refugees.
EU interior ministers are meeting today in Brussels to establish a common
action plan for Ukrainian refugees. According to the United Nations, one
million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, most
of them to neighbouring states Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. The EU
proposes that Ukrainian refugees should have the right to live and work and
have access to medical care and education for up to three years, in all EU
member states. The proposal seeks to respond to what is becoming one of the
biggest refugee crises in Europe.

Ukraine. Russian invasion of Ukraine
entered its eighth day, as residential areas in Ukraine’s biggest cities have
come under intense bombardment. A Ukrainian delegation left for a new round of
negotiations with Russian officials. Airstrikes continued on the capital Kyiv
and other cities, while no significant movement of troops has been reported,
which commentators put down to logistical problems. Russian forces took control
of the southern city of Kherson, which is believed to set the stage for a land
offensive against Odessa. The Russian forces also seized the Sea of Azov port
city of Berdyansk and are stepping up their offensive against another big
Ukrainian port, Mariopol. Despite Russia’s claim that it is carrying out
high-precision strikes, many civilian buildings have been destroyed. The International
Criminal Court has launched an investigation into possible war crimes after 39
nations, including Romania, called for an inquiry to be opened. Ukraine is yet
to ratify the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International
Criminal Court, but it recognises the Court’s jurisdiction for crimes committed
on its territory.

Cooperation.
Romanian and Polish governments are today holding a joint meeting in Warsaw to
discuss bilateral projects and the situation in Ukraine. Romanian prime
minister Nicolae Ciucă said the
meeting has a special importance in the current international context, both
with a view to consolidating Romanian-Polish ties and in light of eastern
European security following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A series of bilateral
agreements are being signed at the meeting, with Romania and Poland cooperating
both within NATO and the EU and as part of regional projects such as the Three
Seas Initiative and the Bucharest Nine. Today also marks the anniversary of 101
years since the signing of the Romanian-Polish Defensive Alliance, the first
regional security alliance signed by Romania after WWI and which formed the
basis for the cooperation between the two states in the inter-war period.

Crash. The pilot of
a Romanian fighter jet conducting an air patrol mission and seven military on board a helicopter sent to
search for the missing aircraft were killed in two separate crashes on
Wednesday night. The helicopter pilot had reported adverse weather conditions
and had been ordered to return to base shortly before crashing, the Romanian
defence ministry said in a statement.

Covid-19. Romania today reported almost 6,000 new Covid
infections and 114 new related fatalities, including nine from an earlier date.
850 Covid patients are in intensive care. Romanian health minister Alexandru
Rafila proposed easing some of the restrictions, such as no longer wearing face
masks outdoors, no longer requiring the Covid certificate to enter shops,
hotels, restaurants and public institutions, allowing cinemas and performance and
sports venues to host more spectators and expanding the maximum number of people
allowed to attend private events. (CM)