Ukraine-Moldova-Romania meeting participants adopt joint statement in Bucharest

The joint statement following the meeting was published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukrinform reports.

"As partners located in the Eastern part of the European continent, we share similar security concerns and have the same interest for a stable and secure wider Black Sea region….We will continue to cooperate as long as necessary to support the right to freely choose our own foreign policy and alliances, exercise legitimate self-defense, strengthen resilience and ensure stability, security and prosperity in our region," the document says.

Its authors noted that the enlargement of the European Union, as well as deeper cooperation with NATO, are key in this context.

“We will further make every effort with a view to a continued strong European and Euro-Atlantic support for the region. In this context, we underline the importance of the historic decision of the European Council of 23 June 2022 to grant the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine the EU candidate status and agree to step up efforts to ensure their full membership in the EU” the heads of the foreign and defense ministries of Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania said.

They also noted that they look forward to the European Commission's assessment of the progress made and the decision to launch negotiations on Ukraine's and the Republic of Moldova's accession to the EU this year.

Romania and the Republic of Moldova reaffirmed their readiness to support Ukraine's initiative for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, expressing support for President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula and commitment to work actively with Ukraine to implement the 10-point peace plan.

“We emphasize that the Peace Formula gives our common vision on the necessary steps that will ensure comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine and security for the whole world” emphasized in the trilateral statement.

The authors of the document also expressed their full support for the efforts of the international community to ensure accountability of perpetrators of serious international crimes on the territory of Ukraine, including through judicial mechanisms.

Finally, the ministers informed about the agreement to organize a new round of trilateral talks between the foreign ministers with the participation of the ministers responsible for energy and infrastructure at the earliest possible opportunity in the near future.

As reported by Ukrinform, the second (official) day of the First Black Sea Security Conference of the International Crimea Platform, which brought together representatives of more than 50 countries and organizations in Bucharest, began on Thursday.