Ukraine's Ambassador to Romania, Ihor Prokopchuk, praised the development of bilateral Romanian-Ukrainian relations on Friday in Tulcea, noting that the tragic situation in Ukraine caused by Russia's war has brought the two countries closer.

Ambassador Prokopchuk met at the Tulcea County Council with local authorities, as well as PSD deputy Mirela Furtuna, and highlighted the strong relations between Romania and Ukraine.

'Our bilateral relations are very good and are developing at all levels, from the Presidency, Government and Parliament to local authorities. If we look at the recent period, we can see how close the tragic situation in Ukraine has brought our countries, how much our relations have strengthened, and how much we can achieve together in the future. We hope to organise a new joint government session soon to address cross-border projects, border infrastructure development, and new economic initiatives. Regionally, our focus extends beyond inter-regional cooperation to actively supporting Ukraine's reconstruction projects,' Ambassador Prokopchuk was quoted as saying in a press release from Tulcea County Council.

County Council President Horia Teodorescu recalled past cross-border cooperation projects and humanitarian initiatives over the last three years, including support for Ukrainians arriving in Romania.

'We, the people of Tulcea, hope this unjust conflict will end with Ukraine's territorial integrity preserved. We also believe that mutual respect must be strengthened and that good-neighbourly relations should endure,' Teodorescu said.

Deputy Mirela Furtuna reiterated Romania's commitment to supporting Ukraine's European path.

'Tulcea County, at the confluence of the Danube and the Black Sea, is a key geostrategic point in a region affected by the war in Ukraine. The importance of the Danube and Black Sea regions must remain on the European Union agenda, as defending the eastern flank is not only Romania's responsibility but a continuous European priority. Romania can and must play a key role in Ukraine's reconstruction, alongside partner states, as Ukraine's future is European, and Romania will remain an active supporter of this perspective,' Furtuna said.

She also called on Ukrainian national and regional authorities to take measures to preserve the cultural identity and Romanian language of ethnic Romanian communities in Ukraine. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Luisiana Bigea; EN writing by: Simona Iacob)