The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, as well as the Minister of Energy of Ukraine, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova, the Minister of Energy of Romania met today for the first informal Ministerial Meeting in this format in Odesa.

The meeting was also attended by the representatives of the energy regulatory agencies of these three countries, as well as the top companies working in energy field. This ministerial-level meeting is the first of its kind in the history of the trilateral Ukraine-Republic of Moldova-Romania relations.

The Ministers have exchanged views on the regional security situation, in the context of Russia’s illegal, unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine that has generated the most serious security and humanitarian crisis on the European continent in decades. They have examined the implications for the overall security environment in the region, including with respect to managing the refugee outflows, responding to humanitarian needs, ensuring energy security, and protecting safe and secure modes of transportation and transit.

The Ministers have discussed the European integration process of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, in view of the historic decision of the European Council held on 23-24 June 2022 granting the two countries EU candidate status. They have assessed the steps taken and the measures planned by Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova to further and consistently advance on the EU integration path.

The Ministers, in particular, have undertaken the following:

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  condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity;
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  committed to join their diplomatic efforts to stand with the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people in their heroic struggle to liberate Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia and restore security and stability in the region;
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  reaffirmed their willingness to closely work together in support of the European integration process of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova;
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  strongly condemned the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) by Russian troops, their numerous provocations and shellings that could cause a large scale nuclear disaster in Europe. Ministers called upon Moscow to immediately proceed to the demilitarization of the ZNPP site and its vicinity in order to allow the resumption of the activities of the Ukrainian authorities in the ZNPP. The ministers referred to the importance of the ISAMZ (IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia) visit;
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  pointed out their interest in developing trilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, first and foremost in deepening political dialogue and improving diversification of the energy supplies based on a balanced, transparent, non-discriminatory relationship ensuring a fair competition; integration of energy markets; increasing electricity exchanges among Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Romania; and rehabilitation and extension of the high-voltage power line Pivdennoukrainsk NPP-Orlivka-Isaccea, including its connection in Moldova, to ensure an electrical interconnection among all the three countries, based on the results of a feasibility study;
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  agreed to speed-up the technical discussions for the use of gas interconnections, the allocation of capacities on electricity and gas interconnections and on minimizing the payments for unintended deviation on cross-border interconnections which are subject of FSKAR settlement rules;
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  agreed that the EU candidate status granted to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova along with the successful synchronization of their grids with the European Continental Grid ENTSO-E opens new possibilities for regional cooperation aiming at increasing energy resilience and security of supply;
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  agreed on the need for better use of underground gas storages that are an important element of energy security in the region;
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  agreed to conclude a trilateral Agreement to strengthen the interconnectivity in energy supplies between the three countries and to start working with the European Commission on its immediate implementation, including funding;
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  agreed to work closely on increasing the bilateral commercial supplies of electricity on short, medium and long term contracts, between our state owned companies;
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  expressed their readiness to hold regular meetings and agreed to dedicate the next meeting to boosting the transit potential of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Romania. To this end, they will invite representatives of relevant agencies to join them to discuss existing bottlenecks, as well as options to increase existing transit capacities and create new ones;
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  affirmed their readiness to work on further liberalization and simplification of entry regime for the citizens of Ukraine during the wartime period;
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  committed to improve the coordination in countering disinformation and other forms of hybrid warfare.