FAC. On Monday, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu will attend the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. According to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the main topics on the agenda will be the EU response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and the EU Global Gateway initiative, regarding global and strategic connectivity, adopted in 2021. Bogdan Aurescu will reiterate a firm condemnation of the atrocities committed in Bucha and in other Ukrainian cities and will show that Romania supports an immediate investigation by the International Criminal Court, the communiqué also reads. Bogdan Aurescu will also reiterate Romania’s commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
Ukraine. Ukrainian border guards have announced that they have prevented nearly 2,200 recruitable men from leaving Ukraine, as men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been banned from leaving the country since the beginning of the Russian invasion. However, some tried to bribe officials or cross the border with forged documents. Ukrainian authorities have announced that they will punish those who run. In another move, Russia has confirmed a new exchange of prisoners with Ukraine, the third since the beginning of the conflict. In parallel, Ukraine has started 5,600 investigations into alleged war crimes committed on its territory by Russian forces, Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova said on Sunday.
