August 24, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 24.08.2025, 20:00
UKRAINE Romania’s president Nicusor Dan sent congratulations and sincere wishes for peace and security to the citizens of Ukraine on Sunday, as the country celebrated Independence Day. “In the face of Russia’s continued aggression against your country, I would like to reiterate Romania’s support for Ukraine’s legitimate effort to defend itself,” president Dan said in the message. He promised Romania will support Ukraine’s reconstruction and EU accession efforts. The Romanian official also said that he admires the courage and resilience shown by both the Ukrainian armed forces and civilians in defending the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Your determination serves as a powerful example of the fight for freedom and democracy against an autocratic enemy,” Nicusor Dan said in the message. The Romanian defence minister Ionuţ Moşteanu took part in the events devoted to Ukraine’s Independence Day in Kyiv. “Every day of Ukrainian resistance means more security for Romania and for all our allies. Romania remains firmly on the side of Ukraine,” Moşteanu said in a Facebook post.
ANNIVERSARY The US envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, attended the celebration of Ukraine’s Independence Day on Sunday in Kyiv, AFP reports. Canada’s PM Mark Carney also arrived in Kyiv on Sunday to celebrate the Ukrainian Independence Day. On August 24, Ukraine celebrated 34 years of independence, in a context marked by over 1,270 days of resistance to Russian aggression. “We are building a Ukraine strong enough to live in security and peace. We will be together again, as one family. It is only a matter of time,” president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a message. He added that Ukraine has not yet won the war, but it will not be defeated either. World leaders, including US president Donald Trump, sent messages of congratulations to Ukraine on its Independence Day. In a letter made public by the Ukrainian president, Trump says that many have been inspired by Ukraine’s courage and that he supports a negotiated solution to this war.
FESTIVAL The 27th International “George Enescu” Festival takes place in Bucharest between 24 august and 21 September. It’s been 70 years since the death of the great composer George Enescu, and this year’s edition of the festival named after him is an opportunity to bring to the fore both his artistic legacy and his impact on universal classical music. Over 4,000 Romanian and international artists take part in more than 100 concerts and performances for all audiences. The festival includes over 45 performances of George Enescu’s works, from the famous symphonies, Romanian rhapsodies, suites for orchestra, chamber, choral and solo works to the opera ‘Oedipus’ produced by Stefano Poda. Performances by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Zurich Tonhalle-Orchester, Orchestre National de France, the Czech Philharmonic, Budapest Festival Orchestra, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Accademia Bizantina, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Il Giardio Armonico are among the festival highlights. Radio Romania Music, the only station in the country devoted to classical music, airs over 60 of the concerts in Bucharest, and some of them will be re-broadcast as part of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Summer Season, which brings together recordings and live broadcasts of the most important European festivals, such as the BBC Proms, Richard Wagner at Bayreuth or the Salzburg Festival.
TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea won the WTA 250 tournament in Cleveland (Ohio, USA) on Saturday, after defeating Ann Li (USA) in the final. Cîrstea (35) won her third WTA singles title, after those Tashkent (2008) and Istanbul (2021). She will play in the first round of the US Open, which started on Sunday, against Solana Sierra (Argentina). Two other Romanian players, Jaqueline Cristian and Gabriela Ruse, will have difficult opponents in the first round. Jaqueline Cristian takes on Danielle Collins (US), while Gabriela Ruse faces the Russian-born Australian player Daria Kasatkina. (AMP)
