At the Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investments forum in Bucharest, during one of the panel discussions, representatives of Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine announced their intention to deepen regional cooperation in infrastructure within the “strategic transport triangle” to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and strengthen the region’s resilience.
The panel was moderated by George Scutaru, CEO of the New Strategy Center think tank. Participants included Vladimir Bolea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova; Mihai Iurca, Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine and Head of the Office of the Prime Minister of Romania; First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Yulia Sirko, State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Romania Ionel Scrieşteanu, Deputy Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Serhiy Derkach (via videoconference), and CEO of Leviatan Group Cătălin Podaru.
The discussion focused on the strategic importance of regionalizing infrastructure projects between the three countries and developing logistics corridors that ensure not only economic and demographic mobility, but also military mobility in the context of the ongoing war. The participants emphasized that transport and energy connectivity is seen as a tool for coordinating government policies, as well as a platform for involving the private sector in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
“Logistics is becoming a key element of security and development: from ports and railways to border infrastructure, all of this must function as a single network between Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine,” Skutaru noted during the discussion. He stressed that coordinating investments and projects within the “strategic transport triangle” is a necessary condition for increasing the capacity of corridors used for trade, transit, and military aid.
Representatives of the Ukrainian and Moldovan sides stressed that the reconstruction of Ukraine is impossible without the active participation of private business and the involvement of international companies in joint projects. “Ukraine is open to partnership, and we need both financial resources and technological solutions that can be provided by regional and global partners. Joint infrastructure projects strengthen not only the economy but also the stability of the entire region,” emphasized Deputy Minister Serhiy Derkach.
Following the discussion, participants noted positive dynamics in strengthening connectivity between the three countries, particularly with regard to the modernization of transport corridors, port, and border infrastructure. They concluded that further progress will depend on coordinated government action, effective use of financial instruments, and close cooperation with international partners to enhance the collective resilience and prosperity of the region.
The forum “Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investments” is being held on December 11-12 in Bucharest under the auspices of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and organized by the New Strategy Center. According to the organizers, more than 30 panel discussions and parallel sessions are planned over two days with the participation of representatives of governments, international organizations, the private sector, financial institutions, and experts from Europe, North America, and Asia. The topics of the panels cover security and defense, infrastructure, financing and investment, green energy, digitalization, human capital, and cross-border cooperation.
On Thursday, December 11, the international forum “Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investments” began in Bucharest on Thursday, December 11. At the opening, Ionel Nitu, president of the New Strategy Center think tank, and Mircea Abrudianu, president of the Romanian Senate, emphasized Romania’s readiness to play a key role in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and to become the main logistics hub for this process.
According to Nitu, the forum aims to create a permanent platform for dialogue focused specifically on the practical aspects of Ukraine’s reconstruction, involving representatives of central government, business, international financial institutions, and local administrations in border regions. As a neighboring country, he emphasized, Romania has a direct understanding of local needs and challenges, which creates additional opportunities for joint investment and cooperation projects in the fields of infrastructure, logistics, and energy.
“As Ukraine’s neighbor, Romania has a practical understanding of what reconstruction means in the context of ongoing aggression. Our goal is to bring the government, business, and local authorities to the table and move the discussion to the level of concrete decisions and contracts,” Nitu said, opening the first panel of the forum.
The head of the New Strategy Center drew attention to the concept of a “strategic transport triangle” involving Romania, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova, which should be based on the port infrastructure of the Black Sea and the Danube, as well as on the rail and road corridors that are already the focus of the European Commission’s efforts to expand the region’s transport capacity. He also stressed the need for a multidimensional approach to reconstruction, combining economic, social, humanitarian, and security dimensions, as well as the need for “direct, honest, and results-oriented dialogue” between all participants in the process.
The first panel of the forum, “The Importance of Romania for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” was opened by the keynote speaker, Mircea Abrudianu, President of the Romanian Senate. He confirmed the political position of official Bucharest on supporting Ukraine in countering Russian aggression and stressed that Romania’s participation in reconstruction is not only an economic priority but also a “political and security imperative for the whole of Europe.”
Abrujan noted the strategic importance of Romania’s geographical location for reconstruction logistics: through the port of Constanta, the Danube ports, and the development of railway and road infrastructure, the country aims to become a central hub for cargo flows related to infrastructure, energy, and industrial projects in Ukraine. “Romania has all the prerequisites to become a logistics center for reconstruction — from ports on the Danube and Black Sea to transport corridors connecting the EU with the Ukrainian economy,” he said during his speech.
Separately, the Senate President emphasized the need for deep reforms in Ukraine in parallel with reconstruction projects, primarily in the areas of energy, infrastructure, public administration, and digitalization. In his opinion, investments in reconstruction should also be seen as a tool for Ukraine’s European integration, taking into account the negotiations on EU accession. “If we are talking about long-term investments, we need a just and lasting peace, and until it is achieved, a predictable security environment, which is ensured, in particular, by military support for Ukraine from its allies,” Abrudyan stressed.
He also recalled that the issues of “just peace” and security guarantees for Ukraine had already been discussed during his recent meeting with Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk in Stockholm, where the parties agreed on joint approaches to future peace negotiations.
The forum “Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investments” is being held on December 11-12 in Bucharest under the auspices of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is organized by the New Strategy Center. According to the organizers, more than 30 panel discussions and parallel sessions are planned over two days with the participation of representatives of governments, international organizations, the private sector, financial institutions, and experts from Europe, North America, and Asia. The topics of the panels cover security and defense, infrastructure, financing and investment, green energy, digitalization, human capital, and cross-border cooperation.
Interpipe has signed an agreement to acquire ArcelorMittal’s Romanian pipe plant ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Roman S.A., the company announced.
The closing of the deal is subject to obtaining approvals from antitrust authorities and foreign direct investment. Until these conditions are met, the companies will continue to operate separately.
The company clarified that this plant is not related to another Romanian pipe company, ArcelorMittal, which Metinvest had previously planned to acquire.
The Serbian Economist reports that the candidate of the National Liberal Party of Romania (PNL), backed by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, Ciprian Ciuc won the early election for mayor of Bucharest with about 36% of the votes after almost all ballots were counted.
According to Romanian and international media, Ciuc beat far-right Alliance for the Unification of Romanians (AUR) candidate Anca Alexandrescu, who received about 22% of the vote, as well as Social Democratic Party (PSD) nominee Daniel Belutse, who came in third. The election was seen as a test of the influence of AUR, which is leading in part of the nationwide polls.
The post of mayor of the Romanian capital became vacant after the former mayor Nicusor Dan was elected president of the country in 2025, necessitating an extraordinary vote. The victory of the EU-oriented liberal candidate is seen by observers as an important political success for incumbent Prime Minister Bolojan and his pro-European ruling coalition amid the growing popularity of right-wing and far-right forces in the region.
Analysts note that the outcome of the Bucharest election reduces the risk that one of the first capitals of an EU member state could become a city governed by a radical right-wing party, while strengthening the government’s position ahead of further political battles at the national level.
https://t.me/relocationrs/1901
Imports of electric generators and rotary electric converters to Ukraine in January–October 2025 increased 3.6 times year-on-year and reached $1.397 billion, according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
The leading suppliers are Romania ($272.1 million or 19.5% of the total volume), the Czech Republic ($254.6 million or 18.2%), and Poland ($175.3 million or 12.6%). A year earlier, the main sources were China ($88.3 million), Turkey ($80.6 million), and the Czech Republic ($54.6 million).
In October 2025, imports of generator equipment amounted to $187.8 million, which is 89.3% higher than in October 2024 and 2% lower than in September 2024. Exports for ten months amounted to $3.6 million, with the main destinations being the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Bulgaria.
Context. Since the end of July 2024, there has been an exemption from import duties and VAT on electrical generator equipment and batteries. According to the State Customs Service, in 2024, imports of generators and converters increased by 3.7% compared to 2023, reaching $732.5 million.
Romanian law enforcement agencies have detained former senator Marius Ovidiu Isele on suspicion of attempting to bribe Defense Minister Ionut Mosatan with €1 million to facilitate an ammunition deal. According to investigators, the scheme involved purchasing Soviet-style shells in Kazakhstan, importing them, and “rebranding” them in Romania, then selling them through an intermediary in Bulgaria for delivery to Ukraine. This was reported by Radio Liberty, citing investigation materials and participants in the events.
The head of the state-owned company Romtehnica, Razvan Minku, said that he had been approached with a proposal to use his contacts in Kazakhstan to resell ammunition, but he considered the proposal suspicious and refused. The intermediary was politician Octavian Bercian, who contacted law enforcement agencies and made 17 hidden recordings of meetings with Isele. The court imposed a preventive measure on the former senator in the form of 30 days of pre-trial detention.
There are also reports about Bulgarian businessman Roman Ivanov Angelov, the sole owner of Sofia Arm Tech, which received a license for international arms trade in 2024. His whereabouts are unknown, and he has not responded to journalists’ inquiries. The defense minister stated on social media that he had refused any meetings and that the attempt to “buy his influence” had been rejected.
The publication notes that the initiators hoped to attract funds from the European Rearm Europe program to support the defense industry of EU countries in the future, but the scheme remained at the trial stage and was not implemented.
Rearm Europe was launched by the European Commission in March 2025 to stimulate arms production in EU countries. Romtehnica is the authorized intermediary of the Romanian Ministry of Defense for international procurement and sales of arms and military equipment.
