The elections in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, the war in Ukraine, the need to preserve European unity and to maintain strong ties between Europe and its North American allies, Canada and the United States, were the constants of the address delivered by the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, Margareta, at the Royal Evening dedicated to the Diplomatic Corps.

In her speech at the event held on Monday evening in the State Dining Room of the Royal Palace, Her Majesty brings to mind that 'this year we have also gone through profound political changes, such as the elections in May in Romania and the parliamentary elections in September in the Republic of Moldova.'

'Both were regarded, and rightly so, as decisive tests, not only for our political class but also for the foundations of our democratic system. And, broadly speaking, these tests were passed successfully. As I underlined last year, what happened in Romania during the elections of 2024 and 2025 was not something new. People feel that, although they have the right to vote, they do not have the power to change their destiny. For this reason, they feel drawn to political currents that promise a complete break with the past and offer supposed solutions that involve no cost. But even people who are not attracted by such political currents want to see new faces and to experience new forms of governance. From this point of view, what happened in Romania happened in most European countries,' said HM Margareta.

However, the Custodian of the Crown added that, on a closer look at the end of this year, there are several positive aspects of recent political events that deserve to be mentioned.

'The first is that our democratic institutions remain strong. No matter how many criticisms people levelled at the courts and electoral oversight commissions, the elections took place, the votes were counted and the final count was accepted as correct. As you will recall, given the passions generated by the elections, none of these achievements was guaranteed or self-evident at the time. The second positive outcome, worth mentioning, is that Romania's electoral process served as a warning to an entire continent about the scale of the danger posed by foreign interference in elections and by electoral manipulation through the involvement of social media platforms. What happened in Romania in the most recent electoral processes is now being studied by governments around the world. We failed to anticipate the undermining of our electoral system, but we succeeded in removing it,' HM Margareta said.

According to Her Majesty, a significant shared victory for our countries was represented by the elections in the Republic of Moldova, which ensured the continuation of the country's European path and vocation, despite a similar foreign-funded campaign aimed at destabilising the country and discrediting its electoral process.

'This was the victory of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova and their leaders. But it was also a victory for all Romanians, for the Government of Romania, steadfast in its determination to support the economy of the sister country, and for the authorities in Chisinau, who were not discouraged by aggression and intimidation. The shared path of Romanians on both sides of the Prut within the European Union is therefore wide open,' the Custodian of the Crown believes.

HM Margareta also pointed out that 'unfortunately, 2025 was also a year of trials, with greater difficulties than in the previous year,' recalling the continuation of the war in Ukraine.

'Russia's invasion of Ukraine has continued uninterruptedly. I am proud that my country has remained firm in its support for Ukraine and has increased its military and humanitarian assistance. Let us bear in mind, however, that the sacrifices of recent years are likely to be followed by even greater sacrifices in the years ahead. The war in Ukraine has lasted almost as long as the First World War and its traces will remain for a long time to come. Regardless of what happens, whether there is an armistice or whether fighting continues, the reconstruction of Ukraine will be a huge undertaking, requiring sacrifices from all European nations. And these sacrifices will be impossible without European unity and without maintaining strong ties between Europe and our close North American allies, Canada and the United States,' said the Custodian of the Crown.

HM Margareta said that 'the time has come to carry out an ‘audit' of transatlantic relations.'

'As we know, this year has been dominated by debates on this subject, with divergent opinions and strong passions crossing the Atlantic. This is neither surprising nor necessarily a bad thing. More than eight decades after the end of the Second World War and more than three decades after the end of the Cold War in Europe, the time has come to conduct an ‘audit' of transatlantic relations. No one questions the fact that Europeans should contribute more to their own security measures. The surprise, therefore, is not that the United States is now asking Europe to recalibrate its defence measures. The surprise is that Americans were so patient with generations of previous European leaders who ignored such requests from Washington. If we want others to take our security and defence seriously, we must be the first to take them seriously,' the Custodian of the Crown said.

At the same time, in her speech, Her Majesty underlined that greater efforts must be made 'to remind our allies in the USA and Canada that our transatlantic ties are deeper than economic exchanges or financial contributions to NATO.'

'Throughout his life, and despite many shattered hopes and disappointments, King Mihai never lost his confidence in the commitment of the United States to the freedom of Europe. One of the first journeys my father undertook after being exiled by the communists was to the United States, to campaign for the freedom of Romanians. And although Romanians had to endure four decades under communist dictatorship, King Mihai continued to believe that Romania would only prosper when anchored in the strong bond between European nations and the USA. The generation of leaders of King Mihai's time is no longer with us. But it is the duty of the current generation to revive the spirit of transatlantic cooperation, reminding our American allies that they have no stronger or more reliable partners than the Europeans. It is true that it will not be easy to convince Washington of this. But it is necessary work, and one that the Romanian Royal Family, together with the Government and the diplomats of our country, remains determined to see through to the end,' HM Margareta underscored.

The Custodian of the Crown welcomed 'the proclamation of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV' and 'his subsequent public actions,' stressing that faith represents 'the necessary bond that links our nations.'

'The courageous journeys of the Sovereign Pontiff to areas of conflict and danger and his open support for the dignity of citizens and nations have been among the most encouraging and uplifting developments of this year. As we have recently seen at the consecration of our National Cathedral, faith remains the moral compass, the necessary bond that links our nations. Even in a time when cynicism is fashionable, unwavering faith in humanity and in certain moral principles remains indispensable. Soon, we will celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour. But regardless of our religion or belief, let us never forget that what unites us is far more important than what divides us. These two key spiritual events of the year are powerful proof of this truth,' said HM Margareta.

She also pledged to ensure historical continuity in devotion to the interests and objectives of the nation.

'One of the fundamental duties of the Royal Family is to ensure historical continuity in devotion to the interests and objectives of the nation, so we will continue without hesitation to do what we have always done: to maintain national confidence and to strengthen Romania's international standing. We do this not only out of pride, but also out of necessity. Despite all the problems and difficulties, Romania has never been more secure and more prosperous than it is today. Romanians have never been freer to travel and to fulfil their aspirations and pursuits than they are today. Could all of these be done better? Of course. But we can only improve this condition if we have confidence in our current situation. We commit to continuing to do all this, both at home and abroad, with your support and friendship. My entire family wishes you and all your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,' Her Majesty the Custodian of the Crown concluded in her address at the Royal Evening for the Diplomatic Corps. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)

Photos: (C) ANGELO BREZOIANU / AGERPRES FOTO