WAR IN
\nUKRAINE – The
\nleaders of France and Germany have called on Russian president Vladimir Putin
\nto immediately start negotiations with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky,
\nin order to find a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. The solution to stop
\nthe war can only be found by means of direct negotiations between Moscow and
\nKyiv, with the observance of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,
\nFrench president Emmanuel Macron said. In turn, German chancellor Olaf Scholz
\nhas called on Putin to agree to a total ceasefire and withdraw all his forces
\nfrom Ukraine. The two leaders also called for an improvement in the situation
\nof the civilian population in Russian-held territories and for the release of
\nthe 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers taken prisoner at the Azovstal steelworks in
\nMariupol. Macron and Scholz also called on Putin to lift the blockade on Odessa
\nand allow the export of Ukrainian cereals and thus avert a global food crisis.
\nIn response, the Kremlin said Russia is willing to help find options to resume
\nthe free export of grains, including from Ukraine. Without openly agreeing to
\nit, Putin is willing to allow Ukraine to export its grains only if EU countries
\nlift sanctions on Russian agricultural exports. Putin says difficulties on the
\nglobal market are allegedly determined by the West’s poor decision-making and
\nthe sanctions imposed on Russia. As regards a ceasefire, the Kremlin argues
\nRussia is willing to resume dialogue with Ukraine. Right now peace negotiations are suspended,
\nwhile the Russian forces continue to shell Ukrainian cities. <\/p>\n
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NATO – Iulian Fota, Secretary of
\nState for Strategic Affairs with the Romanian Foreign Ministry, has talked to
\nUS Senator Robert Portman about the US’s decision to increase its military
\npresence on Romanian territory. He expressed Romania’s commitment, alongside
\nother European partners, to consolidate the resilience of the Republic of
\nMoldova by means of concrete measures and countering the effects of the Russian
\naggression in Ukraine. Talks with Senator Portman also focused on the security
\ndevelopments in the region, generated by the Russian Federation’s illegal
\nmilitary operations in Ukraine and its consequences on European and
\nEuro-Atlantic security. The two officials also tackled the priorities of the
\nNATO Summit of June 2022 in Madrid, with a focus on adopting decisions that
\nshould reassert NATO’s main role, namely ensuring collecting defense and
\nconsolidating trans-Atlantic ties, the Romanian MFA also writes.<\/p>\n
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ROMANIANS
\nWORLDWIDE – President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuc\u0103 conveyed
\nmessages marking the Day of Romanians Worldwide, celebrated on the last Sunday
\nof May. Irrespective of where we are, today is a good opportunity to reflect
\non everything that bounds us together and to Romania – a strong identity and
\nbeing part of a people that has over the centuries overcome great hardships,
\nthe President said in his message. The relocation of certain companies in
\nRomania, against a very difficult backdrop, might represent an opportunity
\nencouraging Romanians to return home, president Iohannis went on to say,
\nrecalling the importance of the Government’s actions to support, by means of
\ndedicated programs, Romanians who wish to return home. There are millions of
\nRomanians living abroad. Romanians are at the center of the Government’s
\nconcerns, irrespective of where they are, the Prime Minister also said.
\nNicolae Ciuc\u0103 also said that the Department of Romanians Worldwide is helping
\nstrengthen ties with communities of Romanians and support them in order to
\npreserve national identity, through education and cultural projects conducted
\nacross ministries and in partnership with civilian society and academia. We
\nalso want Romanians who seek employment abroad to be respected and their rights
\nshould be observed. I am confident that memorandum signed at the level of the
\nline ministries in Romania and Italy will be followed by similar initiatives
\nwith other EU states and beyond, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuc\u0103 said. <\/p>\n
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CANNES – The Swedish filmmaker Ruben \u00d6stlund has won his second Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, this time for a satire criticizing the rich, entitled The Triangle of Sadness. The Grand Prix went to Close by Lukas Dhont and Stars at Noon by Claire Denis. Park Chan-Wook of South Korea won the best director award for his feature Decision to Leave. The jury award went to Eo and Le Otto Montagne, while War Pony won the award for best debut film. Alexandru Belc won the best directing award in the Un Certain Regard section with his film, Metronome.<\/p>\n
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ROLAND
\nGARROS – Romanian tennis player Irina Begu has advanced to the round of 16
\nat Roland Garros after ousting Leolia Jeanjean of France, 6-1, 6-4. Begu thus
\nmatched her best performance at Roland Garros, after in 2016 she also reached
\nthis stage of the women’s singles. This is Begu’s best performance in Grand
\nSlam tournaments, her first being to reach the round of 16 at Australian Open
\nin 2015. <\/p>\n
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ROWING -
\nRomanian athlete C\u0103t\u0103lin Chiril\u0103
\nwon silver in the 500m and 1000m single canoe races held on Sunday at the World
\nRowing Championships in Poznan, Poland. In the 500m race, Chiril\u0103 was outrun by Martin Fuksa of the Czech Republic, two-time world champion
\nand several-time European champion. The bronze went to Wiktor Glazunow of
\nPoland. In the 1000m race, Fuksa won again the gold, while Pavlo Altuhov of
\nUkraine won bronze. <\/p>\n
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WEATHER
\n– The National Meteorological Administration has extended the code orange alert
\nagainst heavy rain and storms in place in 12 counties in Bucharest, until
\nMonday morning. Hydrologists have also warned against the risk of floods. The
\nheavy rain and storms have disrupted road traffic in cities and on national
\nroads, and caused material damages. In Bucharest, dozens of trees were uprooted
\nby the strong wind and a few electricity poles fell. Three homes were flooded
\nand 30 cars were damaged. (VP)<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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