November 24, 2025

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 24.11.2025, 13:55

Ukraine. Romanian President Nicușor Dan is participating today, via videoconference, in the informal meeting of EU leaders on Ukraine. This is taking place in the context of recent rounds of discussions that have taken place in various formats, following the 28-point peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump. We recall that this plan, which was first proposed to Kyiv last week, includes significant territorial concessions from Ukraine to Russia, including the whole of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk. On November 21, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, said that the EU would support any peace plan for Ukraine, as long as it would bring a just and lasting peace and involve Kyiv and the EU (Reuters). For her part, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that “nothing should be decided about Ukraine without Ukraine” (AFP). On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that during talks in Geneva between delegations from his country, the US, and some European countries, there was a certain willingness to incorporate a ‘Ukrainian vision’ into the peace plan sent to Kyiv this week by the US administration, the initial version of which was considered overly favorable to Russia by Brussels and Kyiv, according to EFE.

Defense. Romania’s new National Defense Strategy is on the agenda of the Supreme Council for National Defense today for approval, before being presented to Parliament next week. According to the Presidential Administration in Bucharest, the document has been supplemented in recent days with proposals from civil society. Some of these have been integrated into the document, and thus changes have been made to clarify certain provisions of the strategy, including those of a conceptual nature. The source also states that many of the ideas proposed, even if not included in the new strategy, will contribute to the foundation of the actions in the plan for its implementation. The National Defense Strategy was already presented to the public by President Nicuşor Dan last week, when he said that it was based on the concept of solidarity-based independence. The head of state pointed out that there is an increase in military tensions around the world, along with a decrease in the ability of international bodies to maintain order based on rules. Russia’s hostile actions are the main threat to national security, but the document also identifies other vulnerabilities, from demographic decline to the state’s weak administrative capacity. According to the new strategy, the intelligence services will return with an important but clearly defined role in the fight against corruption.

National Day. Over 2,900 military personnel and specialists from the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, and the National Penitentiary Administration, along with 220 pieces of technical equipment, will participate in the military parade organized on December 1 in the capital on the occasion of Romania’s National Day. According to the Ministry of National Defense, 240 foreign military personnel will also march in the military parade, as part of detachments from France, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the US, as well as military personnel from allied countries contributing to the NATO structures on Romanian territory. On December 1, the national flag will be flown at all military institutions in the country, and the Grand Pavois will be hoisted on board maritime and river vessels. Military personnel in theaters of operations and on foreign missions will participate in specific ceremonies and activities.

Elections. Saturday, November 22, was the starting day of the election campaign for the Bucharest City Hall elections, scheduled for December 7. There are 17 candidates in the race. The position of mayor became vacant after Nicusor Dan, who won a second term last year, became president of Romania. On December 7, local elections will also be held in several other localities across the country.

Reform. The Romanian government intends to promote the pension reform bill concerning judges and prosecutors by the end of the week, if it receives the opinion of the Superior Council of Magistracy in time. On Monday and Tuesday, general meetings of the courts and prosecutor’s offices are scheduled to formulate opinions on the draft legislation. Subsequently, the Superior Council of Magistracy will issue this advisory but binding opinion, according to representatives of the magistrates, who did not specify the date on which they would respond to the government. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan expects the procedure for assuming responsibility to be initiated on Thursday or Friday, if the SCM’s opinion is received, thus meeting the deadline on which the payment of a tranche of €231 million from the NRRP depends, related to the fulfillment of this commitment. (Bogdan Matei)

Strike. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest (MAE) informs Romanian citizens who are in, transiting, or planning to travel to the Kingdom of Belgium that a national strike has been announced for November 24-26, 2025, during which significant transport disruptions are expected throughout the country. According to the source, the main disruptions concern air transport. No planes will take off from Brussels-Zaventem airport on November 26, 2025. So far, no cancellations of arriving flights at this airport have been announced, but the schedule may be subject to change. Brussels-Charleroi Airport has not announced any changes to its flight schedule so far. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Romanian citizens keep in touch with airlines for details on the flight schedule. Starting on November 23 at 10:00 p.m., rail service will also be interrupted for 72 hours. The strike will involve all personnel of the Belgian National Railway Company (SNCB) and its subsidiaries. An alternative service will be provided by volunteer staff, but it will have very limited capacity. Public transport operators are announcing significant disruptions throughout the strike and estimate very limited traffic on the Brussels and Flemish networks between November 24 and 26. Romanian citizens can request consular assistance by calling the Romanian Embassy in Brussels. Calls will be redirected to the Contact and Support Center for Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and answered by call center operators on a 24/7 basis. (MI)