The Secretary of State for European Affairs, the Middle East and Africa, Clara Staicu, participated on Monday, March 23, in Chisinau, in the third edition of the Black Sea Security Conference, organised under the auspices of the International Crimea Platform. On this occasion, she emphasised the strategic importance of the Republic of Moldova, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday.
The Romanian official spoke during the first panel of the conference, dedicated to recent developments in the security environment in the Black Sea region and the functioning of maritime corridors to Ukrainian ports. In this context, she highlighted the relevance of the conference as a platform for analysing the consequences of the Russian Federation's war of aggression again st Ukraine and its impact on the region, with a focus on the Republic of Moldova.
According to the same source, Secretary of State Clara Staicu underlined the strategic importance of the Republic of Moldova, the second country affected by this war after Ukraine, mentioning the security concerns generated by the illegal Russian military presence and Moscow's hybrid attacks against Moldova, including in the context of recent electoral processes.
The Romanian official also referred to the multidimensional support provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the war and reaffirmed the commitment to continue these efforts at national, regional, and international levels. At the same time, she highlighted the strengthening of Romanian-Ukrainian bilateral cooperation, including in the context of the recent signing in Bucharest by the presidents of the two countries of the joint declaration establishing the Strategic Partnership between Romania and Ukraine, the press release added.
Regarding the European dimension, the Secretary of State pointed to Romania's constant support for the European integration process of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. She also underscored the importance of the European Union's Strategic Approach to the Black Sea, adopted in May 2025, and especially the operationalisation of the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, the MAE press release noted.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Romanian Secretary of State held brief bilateral meetings with Oleksandr Mischenko, Deputy Minister at the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Velizar Shalamanov, Deputy Minister at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Discussions focused on issues related to international and regional security, as well as elements concerning bilateral relations, the press release further said.
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