Romania and crisis resolution

Ukraine and the Gaza Strip are major issues for Bucharest, which supports the peace efforts in both areas

Corina Cristea, 12.08.2025, 14:00

Romania supports a solution based on full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, with Ukraine fully involved in the negotiations—nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. This is Bucharest’s position, reiterated by the head of diplomacy, Oana Țoiu, in a post on social media shortly after an informal videoconference of EU foreign ministers. The videoconference was convened by Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for foreign Affaris and Security Policy, in the context of the meeting to be held on Friday between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which could bring peace to Ukraine. The United States has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously, says the European official, but any agreement between the US and Russia must include Ukraine and the EU, as it is a matter of security for Ukraine and the whole of Europe.

Any agreement should be accompanied by solid security guarantees to prevent further aggression, according to Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu, who believes that these guarantees should complement deterrence and defense measures on the Eastern Flank and include specific provisions for the Black Sea. For peace to be real, it must be long-lasting, and this can only happen through the participation and will of citizens, Oana Țoiu added, recalling that her recent visit to Kyiv confirmed once again that Ukraine, its leaders, and its people were committed to peace. Romania shares this goal both as a neighbor and as a member of the EU.

The EU foreign ministers also discussed the situation in the Middle East. “We should continue to focus on the overall priorities: an immediate ceasefire; the unconditional release of all hostages and the protection of civilians in Gaza, large-scale humanitarian assistance for Gaza, with adequate monitoring by the EU and access to free media on the ground, with adequate protection for journalists,” said Oana Țoiu. The Romanian minister pointed out that the disarmament of Hamas is imperative and must be done in accordance with international law. At the same time, the Romanian official added, “we agree with our European partners that the recent announcement by the Israeli government regarding an intensification of military activities in Gaza is a decision that must be reconsidered, as it cannot bring us closer to the goal of a ceasefire or a long-term solution for the two states. The growing demands from European citizens for concrete action and solutions from the EU regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are legitimate in our democracies. Romania is prepared to use its bilateral relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to help improve the situation in the region,” said the head of Romanian diplomacy. (MI)