Romania reiterates that any discussion about putting an end to the Ukraine war cannot take place without Ukraine, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Monday, on the day marking three years since the beginning of the Russian Federation’s large-scale military aggression on Ukraine.

„Romania reiterates that any discussion about resolving the Ukraine war cannot take place without Ukraine. There can be no talk on European security without the direct involvement of European states. Moreover, there can be no just and lasting peace in Ukraine without holding accountable all those guilty of the crimes committed in and against Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement reads, underscoring also that „for Romania, a secure, resilient, stable, democratic and prosperous Ukrainian state remains a fundamental foreign policy goal.”

„Romania has stood by Ukraine’s side since the first day of the aggression war, providing concrete support to Ukrainian citizens who fled the war, facilitating the transit of Ukrainian grain to global markets, for advancing Ukraine’s European path in a predictable and credible manner, and supporting its fight for self-defense. (…) This war of aggression has caused a massive loss of human lives, leaving behind broken destinies and immense material damage, and was accompanied by war crimes committed by the Russian forces on Ukraine’s territory,” the Foreign Ministry states.

In this context, „Romania expresses its full compassion and solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, who for 11 years now have been engaged in a legitimate self-defense battle against the attacks of the Russian Federation, which started in 2014 with the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.”

As a sign of solidarity and in order to mark this moment, the Foreign Ministry is flying on Monday the Ukrainian flag in front of its headquarters, and in the evening the building will be lit up in the Ukrainian colors.

AGERPRES