President Nicușor Dan said Romania will continue to support Ukraine and regional security efforts, arguing that investing in Ukraine's defense is also an investment in Romania's own security. His remarks came after attending a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris on Monday, July 13, hosted by French leader Emmanuel Macron.

In a Facebook post, Dan said discussions among coalition members reaffirmed the need for Europe and its partners to remain engaged in building a strong framework of security guarantees for Ukraine.

“As we move forward with concrete actions and coordinated planning, our joint efforts must remain focused on achieving a ceasefire and, ultimately, a just, lasting and sustainable peace," the Romanian president said.

He added that Romania would continue to act as "a responsible ally and a reliable partner" in support of that objective.

“Our immediate priority remains ensuring freedom of navigation and protecting commercial shipping routes in the Black Sea," Nicușor Dan said. 

He then added, “Investing in Ukraine's defense and security is an investment in our own security, and Ukraine must be able to negotiate peace from a position of strength.”

The president also said he had once again called for greater attention to the security of the Republic of Moldova, welcoming the country's first participation in the Coalition of the Willing and its formal accession to the initiative.

In separate news, interim defense minister Radu Miruță said Romania had made progress in discussions with Ukraine on a joint drone production project financed through the EU's SAFE instrument. Speaking to TVR Info, as reported by News.ro, he said the Defense Ministry had already submitted the operational and technical requirements for the drones, while the Economy Ministry is responsible for localization criteria under the project.

Radu Miruțǎ said that 15 Ukrainian drone manufacturers have expressed interest in partnering with Romania to produce drones domestically. According to the minister, the project is scheduled to be completed by 2030, although Romanian authorities want production to begin as soon as possible.

The defense minister said the preferred option is for the joint production to take place in Romania, at facilities operated by the Defense Ministry.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)