Zelensky visits Romania for talks on Black Sea regional security

Issued on: 10/10/2023 – 12:06

2 min

11:55am: Kremlin rejects Zelensky’s claim that Russia wants to inflame Middle East war

The Kremlin has rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s suggestion that it was in Russia‘s interests to stoke war in the Middle East to weaken global unity.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was long-standing, with very deep roots, adding that Russia was in contact with both Israel and the Palestinians.

Russia has long-standing ties with the Palestinians and much in common with Israel, including the fact that many Israelis are former Russian citizens, Peskov told a regular news briefing.

Moscow intends to keep up its diplomatic efforts and play a role in seeking peace between Israel and the Palestinians, he added.

10:25am: Zelensky arrives in Romania for talks with president

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday he was in Bucharest for security talks with his Romanian counterpart after a series of Russian strikes on Ukraine’s Danube River ports near the Romanian border. 

“I arrived in Bucharest, Romania, for talks with (President) Klaus Iohannis and to strengthen our good-neighbourly relations,” Zelensky said on social media.

He said they would discuss “further security cooperation”.

Last month, NATO member Romania found drone debris several times near its border with Ukraine. 

Since exiting a deal allowing safe grain shipments via the Black Sea, Moscow has ramped up strikes on Ukraine’s southern regions, home to vital grain exporting infrastructure.

This is the first time Zelensky has visited neighbouring Romania – which has become essential to Kyiv’s grain exports – since the start of the war.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)