Romanian foreign policy analyst Oana Popescu-Zamfir told Al Jazeera that while a direct military conflict between Russia and Romania is unlikely, political, economic and social repercussions of the Ukraine invasion are palpable. Very few people own guns in the country and most of those who do are hunters. Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony to present the highest state awards in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. It consists of both a ground and amarine periphery. I think were all a bit nervous. especially compared to other countries that I have visited eg Brazil, Mexico, USA (Where I was born, worked and lived until 2010). It is a rather complicated situation and it is a situation which adds something to the trouble in the east. Most homicides are committed with sharp objects such as axes or knives. Same goes for LGBTQ read my full article here. Ukraines government said Russian tanks and troops rolled across the border. I couldnt think of any proper justification for it. Moscow is seeking the withdrawal of NATO forces and weapons from Romania and Bulgaria as part of its sweeping security demands from the U.S.-led alliance, Russias Foreign Ministry said Friday. Keep it up The adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said the Ukrainian military is fighting hard.. UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: The latest news related to the Ukraine crisis. In Fridays statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of unceremoniously exerting pressure on non-aligned Finland and Sweden to join NATO in the face of Russias possible invasion of Ukraine. I make it a point to talk about what I've learned, how I think, and the several methods in which I've gained experience. Monday, January 10, 2022 The minister of defence, Vasile Dincu, considers that Russia is not a direct threat for Romania, at the present moment, but it is a threat for the security in the area, saying that our country must be prepared for anything at all times. Until today, Romania wasnt as affected as other countries in the world were. Romania is not a dangerous country to travel to or live in. The US will defend every centimetre of NATO, said Biden. ", "We call on the Russian Federation to remain engaged in constructive dialogue to de-escalate tension.". What worries me is that in Slovakia there are a lot of people who would like to step out of Nato. Thanks. The minister of defence considers that by means of these discussions, Russia puts pressure in the negotiations they have with NATO. Im not panicking but I dont feel safe and I sometimes think about how me and my husband can prepare for war here in Poland. However, these are the worst-case scenarios that should never become reality. He added that the NATO Treaty did not provide for "second-category member states for whom collective defense is to be applied selectively or within a limited scope. As fighting continues in Ukraine after Russias invasion, people have been fleeing to neighbouring countries. Is your country going to be the next target? Romanian armed forces enthusiastically collaborated with Nazi Germany against Russia during World War II, including in the siege of Stalingrad. Germany is ready to extend and expand its support of NATO's air policing mission in Romania and also to comply with further requests from the alliance, the German Defense Minister Christine . The former Soviet-led Warsaw Pact allies joined NATO in 2004 and currently have agreements in place to deploy around 6,000 U.S. troops on their territories on a rotational basis. Tiiu-Ann, 37, production designer, Tallinn, Estonia. Hua said that all parties should work for peace instead of escalating the tension or hyping up the possibility of war" repeating the language China has consistently used to criticize the West in the crisis. The Romania-Ukraine border is the state boundary between Romania and Ukraine. The Kazakh president Kasim-Jomart Tokaiev announced on Friday that he authorised the law enforcement to open fire without warning with the purpose of putting an end to the revolts which are troubling the country, and rejected any negotiations with the protesters. During this period they have risen the tone, they have increased the aggressiveness of the discourse and they have had ultimate demands, but my opinion is that they are rather forms of negotiations. As bombs began to fall in Ukraine early on Thursday morning, Bucharest-based student Valentin Lzureanuwoke up to a cascade of notifications on his phone announcing the Russian attack. Attacking it would mean declaring war to the entire NATO block (with members like the US, UK, Turkey, Germany or France). People in Lithuania, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, Romania and Poland fear Nato membership may not stop more Russian incursions. TheRomaniaUkraine borderis the stateboundarybetweenRomaniaandUkraine. Good information thank you. The Romanian intelligentsia knew even in the 1990s that we had a limited window of time before the Russians would eventually recover, said Mr Magdin. President Maia Sandu said Thursday that Russia's attack on Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international norms.. (P) Open Days event at Kings Oak British International School - Come and discover what sets us apart! On Thursday, there were queues at the cash machines in my home town. One should always opt for Self-driven cars at this point in time. All Rights Reserved. I skipped school today because the situation is quite hard to deal with. Because since 2020 the world as we know it has changed completely, I now feel obliged to talk about the global health situation as well and whether or not Romania is dangerous or safe to be in from this point of view. It is one of the propagandistic demands of Russia, in which they say that the military bases in Romania and Poland may be used offensively, although NATO has shown that they are used only defensively, so they cannot be used for this, at the present moment, but obviously these are statements where Russia puts pressure on the negotiations with NATO regarding a security belt, which is difficult to accept, as in fact it is a security belt which would start from the Berlin wall towards Romania and it would include all the countries which accessed NATO after 1997 and there should be no NATO presence here Dincu said. While racism is present in Romania (as it is in other countries), Romanians are generally friendly people and wont judge and especially wont attack you based on race alone. When I think about the future Im not sure about anything now. No, Romania is under no danger of being targeted by nuclear weapons. If the war will continue like this, there might be a possibility that other superpowers might Join the war which will create another world war. Igor Dudkiewicz, 23, law student, Pozna, Poland. Ukrainian officials say the countrys military is fighting back and asked for Western defense assistance. An irrational decision by the leadership of the Russian Federation will cause significant damages to the Russian state., He called for harder sanctions against Russia, declaring that its necessary to isolate a lunatic and not just to defend ourselves by words but also by deeds.. Frances armed forces minister Florence Parly (left) is welcomed by Romanian president Klaus Iohannis (right) in Bucharest. When the invasion happened on Thursday morning I burst into tears, then I contacted my family in Lithuania. The crisis in Ukraine is prompting Romania to take on a more active military and security role in eastern Europe than at any time in its recent history, providing support to both Kiev and its Nato allies. Even though the number of individuals owning firearms has increased over the past year, its very unlikely you will ever see one in the country. According to this decree, Russian citizens and companies, the state itself, its regions and municipalities that have foreign exchange obligations to foreign creditors from the list of unfriendly countries will be able to pay them in rubles. IT IS AN EXTREMELY SAFE COUNTRY! Earlier, Wall Streets benchmark S&P 500 index fell 1.8% to an eight-month low after the Kremlin said rebels in eastern Ukraine asked for military assistance. But otherwise, communication is possible with this area. Nothing has ever happened and shes confident enough that nothing will. 2013-2022 Copyright LestacWorld Holiday Planners, Points to consider before travelling to Qatar for Fifa World cup. The Guardian spoke to people living in countries near Ukraine about the situation, how they feel about their own safety and what it might mean for them. Romania was one of those countries that didnt go very strict with the restriction or at least with enforcing them and nowadays things seem to have gone back to normal. Our recommendation would be to plan your travel wisely and always analyse the current situation. Were talking about the withdrawal of foreign forces, equipment and weapons and other steps to return to the 1997 configuration, it said in a statement. I think if something happens our plan is to stay here as this is where my family lives, and where we have food and shelter. They offer cars with flexible policies and are trustworthy. But maybe we see it in a different way because of our history, when Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and we were left on our own with no help. Popescu-Zamfir also noted that Romania, like much of Europe, is dependent on Russian gas. I felt really angry when I heard about the invasion and Im prepared to enrol in the army if my country needs me. Formerly known as Bessarabia, the area was a province of the Russian Empire until after World War I, and then became part of Greater Romania. However, the assurances from the leadership of the country of 19 million people may have little effect in Romania, a NATO member since 2004, where many have been on edge since the Russian attack on Ukraine. When US President Joe Biden announced more sanctions against Russia on Thursday evening, he also committed to sending more troops to Romania, a strategic NATO partner in the region which hosts alliance bases and a key missile defence system. I am afraid for their lives. Was Argentina vs Saudi Arabia match fixed ? He stressed that Romania will not be drawn into the military conflict in Ukraine and said Romanian authorities will take absolutely all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of the countrys citizens. Investors already were uneasy about the possible impact of the Federal Reserves plans to try to cool inflation. ", Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov also told parliament on Friday that "Bulgaria is a sovereign country and we have long made our choice by becoming a member of NATO.". Why does no one help Ukraine? This blog is part of the Amazon Associates program, meaning that we will get a commission for products you purchase by following our links to Amazon.com. There is a degradation of the regional security situation, said Popescu-Zamfir. The entire boundary distance is 613.8 km including 292.2 km by rivers and 33 km by the Black Sea. Such a place is the well known Ferentari neighborhood in Bucharest, which also became a lot safer over the years as families moved there, new shops were opened and the quality of life there increased considerably. We know there are Romanians who work there, including in the oil area, in the gas area and we want to know if there is need to bring them back in this situation. Turkey, which enjoys close relations with both Ukraine and Russia, had been pressing for a diplomatic solution to the tensions. Romania is relatively safe to visit. Perhaps no other eastern European country has embraced its role as a possible deterrent against a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine as enthusiastically as Romania, which joined Nato in 2004. People are waiting for relatives and friends fleeing Ukraine at the Polish border. One of the main elements of our initiatives is consciously formulated very clearly and does not allow any ambiguous interpretations, the Foreign Ministry said. If you watch TV, though, you might be tempted to believe that Romania is a place where small crimes happen all the time. And even if you do visit them, you will still be extremely safe as they generally happen within families or between neighbors who have a fight, usually after drinking serious amounts of alcohol. Moldova, a country of roughly 2.7 million, is located between Romania and Ukraine and has a history that is deeply intertwined with Romania. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened an emergency security meeting to discuss the Russian attack on Ukraine. In one respect, Russia's current submarine activity is as dangerous as it was in the Cold War . Stoltenberg said that this is a deliberate, cold-blooded and long-planned invasion. And he charged that Russia is using force to try to rewrite history.. Will they invade Moldova as well? asked one of the members of War Room, the Facebook page created by Lzureanu. Romania enjoys the widest possible security guarantees. Romania can be considered a safe country to visit or to live in. Kotryna, 45, from Lithuania and working in Brussels. The ruble sank 7.5% to more than $87 to the U.S. dollar. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt-out at any time. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called it the strongest, the harshest package ever considered. That was when we decided to make plans in case anything happens in Latvia. Not only is Romania close to Russia and Ukraine, but Serbia and Kosovo are also on fire these days. Theres been something in the air for a while so over time we have collected some food, like rice and beans, water, money and petrol and Im considering different scenarios just in case. Romania Photo of the Day by Dreamstime: Rnov Fortress in autumn colors, New on Netflix: Tim Burtons Wednesday series filmed in several locations in Romania, Romania is one of the best places to retire in the world, study finds. Northern Bukovina and parts of Bessarabia that presently belong to Ukraine were lost by Romania in 1940 as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. "As such, we decide alone how to organise the defence of our country in coordination with our partners," he said. Were cautious about the surprises that Russia may cause us in Moldova, said Mr Magdin. How to plan your travel to Qatar for the Fifa world cup? In other words, people from all over the world will feel safe in Romania, no matter the color of their skin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the decision to rupture ties with Moscow on Thursday after it launched a massive air and missile attack on its neighbor and Russian forces were seen rolling into Ukraine. BUCHAREST, Romania The president of Romania has condemned Russias reprehensible attack on Ukraine and said that Russian President Vladimir Putin threatens the peace of the entire planet., Romania borders Ukraine and is a member of NATO and the European Union. Nusa Indah, Gg II No. With the humanitarian situation, I am proud that we are willing to take in refugees from Ukraine. Technically, journeying to Romania should be safe as war is between Ukraine and Russia. Late Wednesday, diplomatic convoys could be seen rushing across the capital in black Mercedes sedans. Yes, it is. We have conveyed our relevant demand to the Turkish side. Asked if the Romanians could contact the embassy, in case of emergency, given the jamming of communications, the minister said: Not all communications are jammed, according to our sources. This means that many of the world's biggest powers, like the US, the UK, Germany, France or Turkey (plus many others) would retaliate. There is still no information about any possible danger stated on Friday night, with Digi 24, Vasile Dincu, when referring to the situation in Kazakhstan. We have family in Ukraine and are ready to welcome them to Lithuania or Brussels, where I am now living. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. A representative of the Ministry said it denied seeing the NATO Moscow is seeking the withdrawal of NATO forces and weapons from Romania and Bulgaria as part of its sweeping security demands from the U.S.-led alliance, Russias Foreign Ministry, Get Out of Romania and Bulgaria, Russia Tells NATO Amid Ukraine Tensions.