Two years of war in Ukraine: Uncertainty persists but Romania will continue to stand by its neighbor, president says

Romania has shown solidarity with Ukraine since the war started two years ago and will continue to stand by its neighbor on the road to regaining freedom and independence, president Klaus Iohannis said in a message sent on February 23 during the event marking two years of Romania's response to the situation of refugees in Ukraine.

He also said that uncertainty about the war's end persists and that Europe must stay united and continue to provide the help Ukraine needs at these critical times.

“Tomorrow will be two years since the start of the largest military invasion in Europe since World War II, an unjustified and illegal action by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, with major implications for the security and stability of the entire region,” Klaus Iohannis said in his message.

“These two years have been marked by unimaginable suffering, loss of human life, the tragedies of millions of people who had to abandon their homes and be separated from their families, terrible massacres, irreparable destruction of houses, buildings, monuments, and infrastructure, all leaving immense pain behind,” he continued.

He also extended thanks to those involved in managing the refugee response, as ever since the conflict started, the authorities and civil society worked together and with international agencies to provide the necessary support to those who crossed the border and found shelter in Romania. “The empathy, tolerance, and altruism they have shown and continue to show are worthy of recognition and appreciation,” the president said.

In addition, he reaffirmed Romania’s support and commitment to stand by Ukraine “on the road to regaining freedom and independence,” as well as to support its post-conflict reconstruction efforts and those of integration into the European family.

In the same message, Iohannis also pointed out that it is important for Europe to remain united and continue to provide the help Ukraine needs at these critical times “because only in this way can democracy, values, freedom, and security be defended and guaranteed.”

“Given the highly complicated situation in the neighboring country, uncertainty about the end of the war persists. In these two years, we witnessed some devastating events: bombings, destroyed families, barbarically killed civilians. And it is precisely these images of the horrors committed by the Russian Federation that compel us to remain firmly committed to unconditional support for Ukraine for as long as it takes,” president Iohannis stated.