European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s support for Moldova, declaring during her visit to Romania that “Europe’s solidarity extends beyond our borders.” She spoke at a joint press conference with Romanian President, Nicusor Dan, on the Black Sea shore earlier this week.
“I want to send a message to our dear friend and neighbor, the Republic of Moldova,” von der Leyen said. “Last week was Moldova’s Independence Day. We celebrated Moldova’s democracy, the unbroken spirit of its people, and their love for freedom. Moldovans have chosen the democratic path, the European path, and we will always stand by them.”
On August 27, Moldova’s Independence Day, President Maia Sandu welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Chisinau. They voiced strong support for Moldova’s resilience against Russian pressure and its European integration path ahead of the September 28 parliamentary elections. Macron and Tusk addressed crowds in Romanian in the Great National Assembly Square, earning loud applause. This wave of European solidarity began on August 23 with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s visit, marking the anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, and culminated on August 31, Romanian Language Day, with President Nicusor Dan’s trip to Chisinau.
FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER!
Von der Leyen’s visit to Romania included stops at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base and the Constanța Naval Port, where President Dan received her. The trip capped a broader diplomatic tour across frontline EU states bordering Russia and Belarus, including Poland, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Bulgaria. She praised Romania as “an essential asset for Europe’s security” and lauded the “remarkable resilience of Romania’s democracy and institutions” in resisting Moscow’s tactics. President Dan proposed creating an EU security hub for the Black Sea in Constanta, citing the city’s port and the Danube as vital for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
According to Calea Europeana, this marked von der Leyen’s most significant diplomatic initiative on EU security and defense since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. European Council President Antonio Costa is expected to launch his own “tour of EU capitals” in early September, with a stop in Bucharest scheduled for September 4.