Deputy Minister Cirielli’s mission to Bucharest for bilateral political consultations

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, went on a mission to Bucharest today for bilateral political consultations with the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clara Staicu.

The meeting, which took place at the beginning of the celebrations for the Italy-Romania Cultural Year 2026, confirmed the excellent state of bilateral dialogue, a historic relationship currently cemented by renewed cultural, economic, and social ties. The Romanian community is the largest foreign community in Italy, and Italy remains Romania's leading investor in terms of registered businesses.

The discussions focused on joint participation in the air patrol mission as part of strengthening NATO's eastern flank and support for Ukraine and Moldova.

Shared support for EU enlargement in the Western Balkans is equally important, as well as cooperation within the Central European Initiative, of which Romania holds the Presidency in 2026, in view of the thirtieth anniversary celebrations to be held in Trieste on March 17.

The meeting therefore made it possible to explore many new opportunities for collaboration in several strategic areas, primarily infrastructure and defence, especially within the common European framework of the SAFE program.

"Romania is a strategic partner for Italy, with whom we share a deep-rooted and historic friendship. It is essential to continue working together to best address the challenges of today's delicate international context," the Deputy Minister said at the end of the consultations, before meeting with various members of the Italian system and the Italian business community in Bucharest at our Embassy.