The high-level QUINT ministerial meeting took place on Monday, January 13, 2025, in Chisinau, bringing together representatives from Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, the United States, and the EU. The participants discussed shared priorities for developing transport infrastructure and strategic corridors connecting the Danube region.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Vladimir Bolea opened the meeting by emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation to connect transport infrastructure and ensure the flow of goods.
“Moldova is firmly committed to modernizing strategic transport corridors. Our focus is improving connections with Romania, the European Union, and Ukraine to facilitate deeper integration into European transport networks,” said Bolea.
He also highlighted Moldova’s potential role in Ukraine’s future reconstruction efforts.
“Giurgiulesti ports, along with our roads and railways, can become key routes for transporting construction materials, aiding in the economic and social recovery of the region,” Bolea added.
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Magda Kopczyńska, the EU’s Director-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), advocated for maintaining the QUINT format to implement new infrastructure and transport projects supporting the Danube region’s sustainable development.
James O’Brien, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, praised the QUINT partnership’s effectiveness.
“This format is one of the most efficient working groups. The partnership among Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine delivers visible results. For instance, implementing joint border controls has significantly increased transport capacity, proving the value of our cooperation. Despite Russia’s attempts to destabilize the region through disinformation and energy threats, this partnership remains strong,” O’Brien stated.
Romanian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Sorin Grindeanu underlined Romania’s strategic role in supporting Ukraine.
“Since the war began, about 49% of Ukraine’s total exports have passed through Romania via the Sulina Channel and Constanta Port. It highlights the importance of the Danube corridor. We continue to invest in infrastructure, with a new project starting tomorrow to maximize port capacity. These efforts reflect our solidarity in the face of challenges,” Grindeanu explained.
Serhiy Derkach, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Community, Territory, and Infrastructure Development, stressed the meeting’s importance for Ukraine and the region.
“This unique forum addresses challenging but essential topics. Today’s productive discussions allowed us to outline our 2025 actions to ensure robust transport capacities,” Serhiy Derkach said.
Recent achievements discussed during the event included joint border control implementation with Ukraine and coordinated control agreements with Romania, which have facilitated transport and trade in the region. Expanding coordinated control in both directions at Galati-Giurgiulesti was also proposed.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to accelerating infrastructure projects in the Danube region to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and create a stable and prosperous environment for all participating countries.