Romania is set to transfer to Ukraine the 23rd military aid package since the start of the war, according to Ukrainian defense minister Denys Shmyhal.
Romania “has already provided Ukraine with 22 military aid packages, and soon our soldiers will receive the 23rd,” the minister said in a Facebook post, without giving details about what it contains.
The statement follows the meeting between the Ukrainian official and Romanian counterpart Liviu-Ionuţ Moşteanu.
This is the first time that such information has been made public, since Romanian officials have been wary to disclose the exact nature of Romania’s aid to Ukraine.
During the meeting, Shmyhal and Moşteanu reportedly agreed that the two countries will intensify coordination between the air defense forces.
“Romania continues the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 and brings other significant contributions to the formation of our air defense shield,” Denys Shmyhal mentioned. He also thanked Romania for its unwavering support in key areas.
The ministers also discussed the possibility of using the European SAFE mechanism to launch joint projects for technology exchange and for “launching Ukrainian production in Romania,” Shmyhal wrote.
“We focused on the development of industrial cooperation. The priority is the production of interceptor drones and long-range drones,” stated Denys Shmyhal.
Another important topic on the agenda of the discussions in Kyiv was, according to the Ukrainian minister, Romania’s accession to the PURL initiative, which provides Ukrainian soldiers with American weapons.
“I am grateful to the Romanian government and people, and personally to Mr. Moşteanu, for their effective cooperation and strong support given to Ukraine,” wrote the former prime minister at the end of his Facebook post.
In turn, the Romanian minister of defense said that Romania will continue to stand by Ukraine.
“We will collaborate on the development of Romanian-Ukrainian military products through the European SAFE Program, involve Romanian companies in the reconstruction of Ukraine, and we will work for strengthening security in the Black Sea,” Mosteanu added.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky echoed Denys Shmyhal on Monday, August 25, thanking Romania for its “vital” deliveries of equipment. The message was part of a series of posts on X expressing gratitude to allied leaders on the occasion of Ukraine’s Independence Day.
“I appreciate the kind and friendly congratulatory letter of president Nicușor Dan on Ukraine’s Independence Day. Ukraine and Romania face the same security challenges in our region, and we are working together to counter them. Ukraine truly values the support and vital deliveries of defensive equipment from Romania, which help us protect our cities and communities. Together we are making efforts to achieve a lasting peace,” wrote Zelensky on the X platform.
In his message, the Romanian president said that Romania would continue to provide support to Ukraine as part of its NATO role. Moreover, Nicusor Dan expressed his admiration for the courage of the neighboring people.
“In recent months, we have witnessed barbaric attacks by Russia both against strategic objectives for Ukraine’s energy security and against civilian infrastructure and even against objectives that are part of universal heritage. Russia continues to repeatedly violate the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and the norms of international law,” said Dan.
(Photo source: Ionut Mosteanu on Facebook)
Leave a Reply