Speech by Ambassador Valeriu Chiveri for the reception on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Moldova
Dear guests,
I am delighted to welcome you to today’s event, and I am grateful that you agreed to mark the Independence Day of the Republic of Moldova with us. As you may know, the National day was last week, on August 27th. but we prefer to say better late than never. I am also happy to mention that on August 31st, we marked another highly significant day for us, the Romanian Language Day. It makes me even happier to note that this year, for the first time, it was officially marked in Ukraine as well. In this context, I will take the opportunity to say: Felicitări, dragi vorbitori ai limbii române și mulțumim Ucraina pentru recunoașterea unui adevăr istoric.
We are delighted to see our Ukrainian friends joining us in this celebration, and even more delighted to note that this is not the only achievement that we can mark together. In fact, our bilateral agenda became so consistent within the last years that if I start mentioning everything we did, we will turn the reception into a regular 3-day Moldovan wedding. Yet, there are things that I cannot overlook.
Since the beginning of this year, the President of the Republic of Moldova has visited Ukraine twice, and our leaders met on many other occasions during international summits. The Minister of Foreign Affairs paid three visits, the last one being in August for the meeting with the Ukraine and Romania counterparts. Following this event, we agreed that this trilateral cooperation would be officially named the Odesa Triangle, symbolizing our shared commitment to ongoing collaboration and regional dialogue.
Building on this active diplomatic engagement, our bilateral partnership has achieved tangible progress across many areas. We have strengthened energy security through joint projects, expertise sharing, and the two working visits of the Moldovan Minister of Energy to Kyiv only this year. Cross-border infrastructure initiatives have facilitated trade and transport, while cooperation in education and culture has deepened, highlighted by the signing of the agreement on the mutual recognition of study diplomas, as well as joint cultural programs, festivals, and exchanges that bring our people closer.
Our parliamentary cooperation has also prospered, with regular exchanges and consultations helping to align legislation and foster closer political dialogue. All these accomplishments together show that our partnership is not only consistent but also highly practical, producing real benefits for the citizens of Moldova and Ukraine—and giving us even more reasons to celebrate our shared achievements.
However, this is far from all, as the best is yet to come. By this, I mean our commitment to building strong, democratic countries grounded in the rule of law and fully integrated into the European Union family. We have embarked on this journey together, and while we know it will be challenging, I want to recall the message of the President and reaffirm that Moldova will remain with Ukraine on this path toward European integration, just as we will remain steadfast in supporting Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity against the unjust and unprovoked war initiated by the Russian Federation.
Needless to say, this war is an attack on democratic values and the stability of the entire region. Everyone has seen this clearly, just as everyone understands that Ukraine bears the heaviest burden. At the same time, the echoes of Russian aggression can touch any democratic process, and last year’s presidential elections and referendum that took place in Moldova were no exception. One year ago, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova expressed their desire to continue along the European integration path, and on September 28 we will have the opportunity to do so again, this time through parliamentary elections. I will not speculate on the outcome. I only wish to express my sincere hope that good will prevail over evil, that the rule of law will overcome injustice, and that, in the end, democracy will triumph.
And I believe we have every reason for optimism, because I witness this very hope translated into action every day—through the dedication and tireless work of our partners. Allow me, therefore, to express our sincere gratitude to all those who have stood with us in advancing the bilateral cooperation. We are especially thankful to our counterparts from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Ukrainian institutions, whose professionalism and commitment have been instrumental in advancing our bilateral agenda. We also deeply value the engagement of other international partners and embassies, whose support contributes to stability, democratic values, and shared progress across the region. It is thanks to this spirit of partnership and solidarity that we have been able to achieve so much together, and I am confident that our cooperation will continue to yield meaningful results in the years ahead.
Finally, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to my own colleagues—the dedicated team of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova to Ukraine, as well as our General Consulate in Odesa—for their tireless efforts and professionalism. I would also like to pay special tribute to the strong team of our Honorary Consuls in Vinnytsia, Lviv, Bucha, Khmelnytskyi, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Dnipro. Their commitment, generosity, and unwavering support have made this evening possible.
Dear friends,
May this evening serve not only as a tribute to Moldova’s independence, but also as a testament to the enduring friendship between our countries, and a reminder that together—with courage, solidarity, and hope—we can shape a future of peace, democracy, and prosperity for our entire region.
Kyiv, September 4, 2025