At the initiative of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine has started negotiations with Romania on a bilateral security pact, the Ukrainian presidential office announced.
The negotiations, which took place in Davos, Switzerland, were attended on the Ukrainian side by Head of the Presidential Administration Andri Ermak, his deputy Ihor Jovkva, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mikola Tocitsky, and on the Romanian side by State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Iulian Fota.
The Ukrainian presidential office noted that the negotiations began within the framework of the G7 Joint Declaration on support for Ukraine. They marked the elevation of bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership. This was a logical continuation of the agreements based on the results of the telephone conversation between the presidents of Ukraine and Romania on Jan. 9, 2024, and a step toward the implementation of the Joint Declaration of the leaders of both states of Oct. 10, 2023.
Romania became the ninth country to start bilateral security negotiations with Ukraine and once again confirmed its support for the independence and territorial integrity of the neighboring country and its European and Euro-Atlantic path. The parties discussed the main elements of the future bilateral security agreement and agreed on the modalities for further negotiations.
On Friday, Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed a bilateral security agreement. The U.K. became the first to do so, pledging “continued and comprehensive support” to Kyiv “for as long as it takes.”
In particular, the agreement covers intelligence sharing, cyber security assistance, medicine, military training, and defense industry cooperation. Ihor Jovkva said that more such agreements will be concluded with other countries this year.
