The head of Romanian diplomacy, Emil Hurezeanu, took part in the meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers (FAC) in Luxembourg on Monday, where he called for both continued pressure on Russia through the adoption of a new package of restrictive measures and for the strengthening of the sanctions regime on Russia's hybrid actions.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), EU officials discussed Russia's aggression against Ukraine, developments in the Middle East and Syria, EU-Africa relations and the Western Balkans. Under current affairs, Armenia-Azerbaijan relations were discussed.

Regarding Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the Romanian foreign affairs minister reiterated 'the firm support for a just and lasting peace, backed by solid security guarantees, with the support of the US and the involvement of European states' and 'emphasized the need to continue and strengthen multidimensional support for Ukraine, expressing support for High Representative Kallas' initiative of military support for Ukraine'.

'The head of Romanian diplomacy called both for continued pressure on Russia through the adoption of a new package of restrictive measures and for the strengthening of the sanctions regime on Russia's hybrid actions. He also reiterated his support for the advancement of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova during the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union,' the MAE press release states.

With regard to the situation in the Middle East, minister Emil Hurezeanu expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and emphasized the importance of continuing negotiations for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. He also mentioned Romania's important role in the medical evacuation operations in Gaza, within the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, and the treatment of Palestinian pediatric patients in Romanian hospitals. The Romanian official reiterated the support for the two-state solution as the only sustainable option for resolving the conflict and welcomed the Arab initiative regarding reconstruction in the Gaza Strip and the identification of a regional security solution.

'The discussion on EU-Africa relations took place in the run-up to the European Union-African Union Ministerial Meeting in Brussels on May 21, 2025. Foreign ministers emphasized the importance of the EU-Africa partnership, considering that the upcoming ministerial meeting will provide an opportunity for the EU to be perceived as a reliable and predictable partner in the current political context. At the same time, it will be a good opportunity to reaffirm the common commitment to multilateralism and the international order based on rules, the UN Charter and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity,' the MAE press release further informs.

With respect to the Western Balkans, EU foreign ministers expressed concern about the unstable regional context and underlined the need for a coherent message from the EU and international partners. The strategic importance of the EU's enlargement policy was emphasized, as well as the need to strengthen strategic communication to combat hybrid threats and disinformation in the region. Ministers also emphasized the importance of full alignment of the Balkan partners with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union in order to put European values into practice.

On the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, the Romanian minister of foreign affairs also participated in the EU-Palestine High-Level Political Dialogue in Luxembourg. 'During his intervention, Minister Emil Hurezeanu emphasized Romania's support for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, the immediate release of all hostages and the rapid resumption of humanitarian access for the civilian population. The Romanian minister reiterated our country's readiness to continue medical evacuations from the Gaza Strip in order to ensure adequate treatment for civilians in critical situations. At the regional level, was reiterated Romania's firm commitment to support a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-state solution, which would coexist in peace and security,' the press release shows.

Also, on Sunday, April 13, the Romanian foreign minister participated in the informal meeting organized by High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas with partners from the Western Balkans. The discussions centered on ways to strengthen cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans, in particular in the field of security, especially in the current complex geopolitical context, both regional and global. In this context, Minister Hurezeanu reiterated Romania's strong commitment to the European perspective of the Western Balkans, together with that of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, and reiterated Romania's readiness to offer expertise in the preparation process. At the same time, the Romanian minister referred to the importance of maintaining a stable security environment in the region and recalled Romania's consistent contribution in this context, through participation with troops and military technology in the KFOR and EUFOR-Althea missions, the latter with Romania in command of the forces from January 2025, further reads the MAE press release. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Marius Fratila; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)