November 29, 2022

NATO The foreign ministers of NATO member countries, partner countries and of the 2 candidate countries are in Bucharest for a 2-day meeting. It is the first meeting of this kind hosted by Romania since it joined the Alliance and the first event held in a NATO eastern flank country since the start of the war in Ukraine, Romania's foreign ministry highlighted. The meeting comprises 3 working sessions, 2 of which will be attended by the Allies together with Sweden and Finland. Taking part in the third session will also be the foreign ministers of Bosnia - Herzegovina, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova. The first day of the meeting will conclude with a working dinner attended by the foreign minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, and the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell. The agenda of the meeting in Bucharest includes the implementation of the decisions taken at the NATO summit in Madrid. The war in Ukraine and the provision of long-term political and practical support from the Allies will be the main topic of discussion. Other topics include energy security, China, the strategic importance of the Black Sea region. NATO's secretary general Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Bucharest on Monday, and had meetings with president Klaus Iohannis, PM Nicolae Ciucă and the foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu. 

MEETING Bucharest is the capital of European and Euro-Atlantic diplomacy and even beyond these regions, the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu said. Apart from the meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Romania is hosting these days, for the first time ever, a Munich Leaders Meeting. 75 top-level governmental officials and foreign policy and security experts are discussing the consequences of the war in Ukraine as well as other security issues in the region. The 11th Aspen Forum also begins in Bucharest today, with participants including the NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg. The 2022 edition of the Forum takes place in the context of the war in Ukraine, which has affected the entire world both in economic and security terms, and which is not expected to come to an end soon, therefore it will only deepen multiple crisis, the Aspen Institute says in a news release posted ahead of the meeting. Also in Bucharest, a new energy coordination task force is scheduled to convene. The group comprises officials of G7 and other Allied countries, and is working to mobilise or plan the supply of equipment to Ukraine as soon as possible.

PARTNERSHIP Ahead of the US secretary of state Antony Blinken's visit to Bucharest to take part in the NATO Council, the US Department of State hailed the celebration of 25 years since the Strategic Partnership with Romania was signed. A US Department of State news release mentions Bucharest's contribution to NATO and multinational operations, the fact that the country hosts several NATO and American military structures, including the missile defence system in Deveselu. I am very happy and proud to say that our strategic partnership has reached the highest level in its quarter-century history, the Romanian PM Nicolae Ciucă said in his turn, after the meeting with the US official in Bucharest. Twenty-five years is a very important benchmark, which makes us aware that in 1997 a generation was born which grew up and reached maturity concurrently with the strategic partnership. I am confident that this generation will do everything in their power to safeguard the freedom and rights we have secured and democratic values, Mr. Ciuca also said. We have an unshakeable alliance, built on shared values, and strong relations in the economic sector, including the energy sector, Antony Blinken said, and also mentioned the academic and cultural exchanges between the 2 countries.

NATIONAL DAY The Romanian Cultural Institute organises 50 events until December 10, to celebrate the National Day of Romania in 31 cities abroad. According to the president of the Institute, Liviu Jicman, the events held in emblematic locations in the respective countries place the works of Romanian artists among the most important cultural landmarks of today and contribute to raising awareness among foreign cultural and arts communities and the general public with respect to the Romanian culture. On December 1, the National Day of Romania, a parade will be organised in Bucharest and another one in Alba Iulia. On Monday the Parliament celebrated 104 years since the Great Union in a special meeting. (AMP)