Joint Statement of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Romania
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
08 August 2025 14:28
Joint Statement of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Romania
Chernivtsi, 8 August 2025
We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Romania met on August 08, 2025, in Chernivtsi, a place with special significance for the value of tolerance and for the respect of all human rights that our countries share, to discuss pressing security challenges in our region, as well as the current status and prospects for further cooperation.
We reaffirm that our states share common views and deep concerns regarding the recent security crisis in Europe, particularly in light of the Russian Federation's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. Only through joint coordinated efforts we can effectively overcome the challenges we face and ensure peace, stability and prosperity for our nations. Together, we must act decisively to protect our shared values and secure a peaceful future. Advocating for a united, democratic, peaceful and prosperous European future, we strive to strengthen our political dialogue and deepen cooperation in key areas, including in countering disinformation, security and defence industry, energy resilience, transport connectivity, trade and critical infrastructure development.
Romania and the Republic of Moldova express their unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and its people, who are courageously and legitimately resisting Russia's war of aggression, ongoing since February 2014 and which escalated into Russia's illegal, unprovoked and unjustified full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia's war of aggression represents a crime against the Ukrainian people, a flagrant violation of international law, especially of the UN Charter, and a severe threat to peace, security, and stability in Europe and beyond.
We call upon our international partners continue enhanced international military assistance for Ukraine, including additional advanced air defence systems to Ukraine, alongside enhanced international military assistance more broadly. The continued Russian missile and drone attacks pose a growing threat to Ukraine and increase security risks beyond its borders, including for Romania and the Republic of Moldova. We recognize that strengthening the air defence capabilities of Ukraine is a vital step toward reinforcing Ukraine's overall security and defence, protecting Ukraine's civilian population and civilian infrastructure, and reducing broader regional security risks.
We strongly encourage maximizing pressure on Russia by upholding and enhancing the sanctions policy against the aggressor state with the aim of determining a change in conduct by depriving Russia of the resources necessary to sustain its unfounded war of aggression against Ukraine. We also call for further strengthening of sanctions in sectors that hold particular economic significance for Russia.
Russia must pay compensation for its illegal aggressive war against Ukraine and the use of frozen assets of Russia remains an important issue to be resolved considering the legal challenges raised.
We emphasize that the security of Ukraine is an integral part of the security of Europe. At the same time, the security of the Republic of Moldova is inextricably linked to the security of Ukraine. In this respect, we reaffirm our commitment to intensify the efforts to support countering the effects of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine with an overall goal to enhance the security in the region.
Crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine must not go unpunished. We reaffirm our strong commitment to support the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, which must be capable to ensure comprehensive criminal accountability for the crime of aggression committed by the Russian political and military leadership, irrespective of the personal or functional immunities that might be enjoyed by such persons. We emphasize that Russia bears international responsibility for its ongoing violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. We reaffirm our commitment to ensure justice for all victims of Russia's war of aggression, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious violations of international law committed in and against Ukraine and its people.
We deplore the extreme suffering of the Ukrainian people during the ongoing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and condemn in strongest possible terms the Russia's policies of unlawful deportations, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and the mistreatment of prisoners of war and civilians, in violation of international humanitarian law, which unnecessarily aggravated the human suffering.
We commit to putting our efforts into strengthening international mechanisms, including through #BringKidsBackUA initiative, to facilitate the safe return of Ukrainian civilians, in particular children, who were illegally deported or forcibly displaced by the aggressor state.
We stress the urgent need to restore a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law, including the respect for Ukraine`s sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters.
We highly appreciate the dynamic efforts of the US President Administration, as well as of participating states of the Coalition of Willing to identify potential paths towards just and lasting peace. We reaffirm our strong commitment to international law, democracy and the rule of law as core transatlantic values that are fundamental for any credible and enduring peace initiative.
We welcome all efforts aimed at creating proper conditions for such a peace, particularly by strengthening Ukraine`s capability to resist Russia`s war of aggression and achieve peace through strength.
We welcome the new strategic approach of the European Union to the Black Sea, fostering interconnections for a secure, stable and prosperous region. We express our firm commitment to actively contribute to the concrete development of this strategic approach.
We firmly condemn the unprecedented and systemic hybrid attacks conducted by Russia against Europe, including against critical infrastructure and democratic processes. These actions are attempts to destabilize, weaken our economies and societies, erode public trust in institutions and undermine the foundations of European democracies, and compel us to take a united and firm stance. In this context, we reaffirm our strong support for the Republic of Moldova in view of the upcoming Parliamentary elections (28 September 2025), condemning the Russian interference and the need to hold free, transparent and democratic elections.
We commit to promoting closer cooperation to counter Russia's hybrid threats and to strengthening our collective resilience. We will continue to deepen our strategic coordination in combating disinformation by expanding collaboration under the Trilateral Memorandum of Understanding on countering foreign information manipulation and interference, signed in Chișinău on July 05, 2024.
We emphasize our aim to create a secure, stable, and prosperous future for our people, based on the values of democracy, rule of law, and respect for all human rights, and commit to undertake further consistent efforts build inclusive, tolerant, and resilient societies. Romania and the Republic of Moldova welcome the decision of the Government of Ukraine of 18 October 2023 to recognize Romanian as the language of the Romanian-speaking community in Ukraine, as well as the proper implementation of this decision.Romania and the Republic of Moldova welcome the intention of Ukraine to establish of the Romanian Language Day on August 31, which could thus be celebrated in all three countries.
In light of intensification of Russia's malign efforts in the digital space, we agreed to take concrete steps towards further enhancing our cooperation for combatting hybrid and cyber threats. We agreed to continue a dialogue on creation of Trilateral Cyber Alliance and establishing a joint Centre for Countering Hybrid Threats in Odesa.
Romania underlines the solid progress made by Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in advancing the reforms related to the European accession, including by ensuring rule of law and providing a level-playing field for the private sector, as essential instruments to the integration on the European Single Market, as well as for the reconstruction efforts. Romania remains committed to supporting both states on a sustained, credible and predictable path to full membership in the European Union, including by provision of political support and technical assistance. EU Enlargement remains a strategic investment in the peaceful and secure future for Europe.
During the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we look forward to seeing significant progress in the ongoing screening process and the swift opening of relevant negotiation clusters for both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Further substantial progress on gradual economic integration, particularly in areas bringing tangible benefits to the citizens of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, should remain a priority. This will support both countries in complying with the relevant applicable EU acquis and in fulfilling the specific conditionalities required on their path toward EU membership.
We consider Ukraine as one of the key producers and suppliers of food in the world, which continues to faithfully fulfil its duties as a reliable partner despite Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
Noting the important efforts already undertaken by Romania and the Republic of Moldova to facilitate the safe, reliable, and cost-effective transit of Ukraine's exports, we commit to further enhancing trilateral connectivity. We highlight the long-term relevance of expanding cross-border road, rail-, and waterway connectivity for the integration of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in the EU Single Market, and for Ukraine's reconstruction process.
Our common interest is to continue expanding the existing border crossing points, development of access roads and railway infrastructure to the common border, and implement a pilot project on coordinated border and customs control at the checkpoints across the common state border, according to the applicable national legislation. The Danube is one of the main areas of cooperation between the three countries.
We will also continue to optimize logistics routes along Solidarity Lanes, while ensuring that the interests of farmers, agricultural producers, and processors in Ukraine, Romania, and the Republic of Moldova are safeguarded and duly considered, in line with the applicable European and national legislation.
We underline the importance of joint work for improving and expanding interconnections, diversifying energy sources, and ensuring stability in energy supply for consolidating the energy security of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Romania will continue to support the integration of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova on the common energy market until 2027.
We are working on diversifying gas supplies to Ukraine by joining the Trans-Balkan route, which has significant potential for transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Ukraine. In this regard, we hope that together, the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine, we will make our gas systems more secure and independent.
Romania and the Republic of Moldova confirm their resolute commitment to cooperating with Ukraine and the international community to ensure an effective and sustainable post-war recovery and reconstruction. By providing critical infrastructure and resources, as well as facilitating the cooperation between the private and the public sectors and the exchange of experience and innovative solutions in the field of recovery, such assistance could play a significant role in rebuilding a strong, democratic and European Ukraine.
We have underlined the importance of the Ukraine - Republic of Moldova - Romania trilateral format of dialogue and cooperation in bringing our states closer and reaffirmed our strong engagement to continue our coordination in this format.
In this context, we welcome the results of the meeting in the Ukraine - Republic of Moldova - Romania trilateral format at the level of Heads of State (June 11, 2025, Odesa) and express our readiness for the organization of a subsequent meeting at the level of Heads of Government of the three states.
We remain committed to further strengthening trilateral interstate relations, based on mutual trust and respect, openness, and comprehensive collaboration for the benefit of our citizens.
We appreciate the participation in the meeting of our colleagues from the Lublin Triangle - Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Radosław Sikorski and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys - and express our readiness to further cooperation in such a broader dimension.
We agreed to hold the next Ukraine - Republic of Moldova - Romania ministerial meeting in Romania, in 2026.
Andrii Sybiha - Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
Mihai Popșoi - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova
Oana Țoiu - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania
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