Ukraine and Romania have agreed to establish a commission on the rights of national minorities

The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Romania, Andriy Sibiga and Dan Niculescu, agreed to convene an intergovernmental commission on the protection of the rights of national minorities in Ukraine as soon as possible.

The diplomats discussed this issue in the context of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

The talks took place on November 5 in Bucharest. According to the Ukrainian minister, the parties discussed ensuring the rights of members of the Romanian national minority in accordance with European standards.

“We discussed ensuring the rights of members of our national minorities in accordance with high European standards. We agreed to convene the relevant intergovernmental commission as soon as possible,” Sibiga wrote.

He also emphasized the importance of opening the two remaining EU negotiation clusters for Ukraine by the end of the year and thanked Romania for supporting Ukraine’s path toward European integration.

What Else the Ministers Discussed 
 

In addition to issues related to national minorities and European integration, the foreign ministers discussed increasing pressure on Russia, strengthening Ukraine’s defense and resilience, and restoring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.

They paid special attention to joint projects in the areas of energy security, the development of cross-border connectivity, and the expansion of transport and transit capacities.

“We have a shared interest in practical projects to strengthen energy security, improve cross-border connectivity, and expand transportation and transit capacities,” the Ukrainian minister noted. 

Sibiga reported this on the social media platform X. 

Ukraine and Hungary will begin implementing agreements on the rights of national minorities in September

A bill on schools for national minorities has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada.