In Kyiv, Ukraine – South-East Europe Summit reaffirms regional cooperation for peace and shared resilience

President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu participated today, July 15, in Kyiv in the fifth Ukraine – South-East Europe Summit, held on the occasion of Ukraine’s Statehood Day. The summit brings together European Union member states from South-East Europe and candidate countries from the region.

In her address, the head of state called for increased support for Ukraine – first and foremost air defense – and for greater pressure on Russia through sanctions that cut off the financial sources fueling the war. The President reiterated that the friendly 1,222-kilometer border between the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine is a strategic advantage for both countries and for the entire region, advocating in this context for the development of cross-border connectivity and energy projects that strengthen the resilience of South-East Europe.

On the sidelines of the event, the head of state held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković and Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša.

At the end of the meeting, the leaders adopted Kyiv Declaration, which reaffirms support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and calls for stepping up sanctions on Russia’s war economy. “The future accession to the European Union of the partners in the Western Balkans, as well as of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, represents a strategic investment in the long-term stability, security and prosperity of Europe,” the document reads.

Alongside Maia Sandu and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the summit was attended by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, the President of Greece, Constantine Tassoulas, the President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Janez Janša, as well as the First Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Bekim Sali, the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro, Filip Ivanović, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Velislava Petrova-Chamova.