Russia has destroyed the security architecture in the Black Sea and is militarising the occupied peninsula, turning it into a continuing point of aggression, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Thursday at the "Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investments" conference in Bucharest.
In his online intervention at the event, Minister Sybiha stated that Russia's aggression against Ukraine and Europe has become far more extensive and there are currently multiple challenges and tests in this regard.
He mentioned that what happened in Crimea must remain there and it is not a political statement, as it is the only region that still upholds international law and this must be brought to mind. The Kyiv diplomat underlined that any attempt to soften Russia's tendencies makes Russia even more aggressive.
According to him, the Black Sea cannot be a zone of Russian influence and as long as Crimea is occupied, the Black Sea cannot be secure.
The diplomat argued that Ukraine's reconstruction must be linked to the rebuilding of the European security architecture, adding that the present moment is critical for peace and that coordination and unity are essential.
Presidential Adviser Vlad Ionescu said within the event that the resilience of the neighbouring country is also a fight for our shared values and he highlighted that Romania is offering "multidimensional" support to Ukraine.
"Transatlantic unity and coordination have been and remain vital," he mentioned, reiterating that Russia continues to be "the main long-term threat to regional and transatlantic security."
In the context of Ukraine's reconstruction plans, Ionescu also pointed out that Romania is prepared to host a multimodal logistics hub.
"Rebuilding Ukraine is no longer a topic for theoretical debate, it is a political, economic and security urgency for Europe," Romania's Senate President Mircea Abrudean said.
He pointed out that the war at the border has created one of the most severe humanitarian crises in Europe in recent decades and that losses amount to 500 billion euros.
Abrudean pointed out that reconstruction rests on four pillars: critical infrastructure, the revival of the private economy, the social component and the state reform.
"Romania has the opportunity to become a regional reconstruction centre, our geographical position gives us an objective advantage," he said. In this regard, he highlighted the opportunity for the Port of Constanta to become a logistics hub, bringing to mind that the transit volumes there have tripled since the start of the war.
In the context of Ukraine's reconstruction, Romania can create platforms for economic cooperation, Abrudean argued.
"Military support remains essential. Without protection, the capital dries up (...). No country can be reshaped by force," the Senate President underscored.
Foreign Affairs Minister Oana Toiu brought to mind the emphasis placed on the Odessa Trilateral: Romania-Ukraine-the Republic of Moldova. She mentioned that the next meeting in this format will take place in Bucharest in the first quarter of next year.
"We cannot be naive, we know very well that when we look at Russia, we must look at actions and not words. In this context, we do not see actions that would give us confidence that Vladimir Putin is seeking or is willing to pursue peace," the head of the Romanian diplomacy conveyed.
Moreover, she emphasised that the sanctions regime against Russia has been strengthened, including in Romania.
Oana Toiu called for the reconstruction of a European Ukraine from a regional perspective.
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