Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets continues her visit to Bucharest, Romania today where she is hosted by Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan-Lucian Aurescu. The main topics of the visit are Russia’s war against Ukraine, transatlantic defence cooperation and economic relations. The minister is accompanied by a business delegation to advance cooperation between Estonia and Romania in the digital domain.
At yesterday’s meeting, Foreign Minister Liimets congratulated her colleague on the 73rd anniversary of NATO. “However, this celebration is overshadowed by suffering that our friend and neighbour Ukraine has been subjected to since 24 February. The heartbreaking images made public yesterday from Bucha and other towns around Kyiv, where Russian forces have committed horrendous and inhuman acts against peaceful residents will haunt us for a long time,” Foreign Minister Liimets said, emphasising that allies consider it crucial to make the cost of the aggression unbearably high for Russia so it will end it.
“The world that shares our values must remain united and decisive in the face of Russia’s aggression and we must considerably increase the severity of the sanctions imposed so far,” Liimets added.
The foreign ministers also discussed ways of boosting cooperation in NATO. “Our aim is to achieve the long-term reinforcement of the Eastern Flank,” Liimets underlined, saying the topic will be discussed on 6 April in Brussels at the meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
Yesterday morning Foreign Minister Liimets attended a conference in Bucharest that concentrated on Russia’s war in Ukraine and reinforcing NATO Eastern Flank. Foreign Minister Liimets also met with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă. Today she is opening an Estonia-Romania business forum that the Estonian business delegation will also attend.
The foreign minister is in Romania on 4 and 5 April and will then travel to Brussels for the NATO ministerial meeting.
Additional information:
Communication Department
[email protected]
