Israeli President Herzog visits Romania for talks on economic ties, antisemitism, and regional security

Official reception at Cotroceni

Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived at Cotroceni Palace on Monday morning, accompanied by First Lady Michal Herzog, for a state visit hosted by Romanian President Nicușor Dan. Dan's partner, Mirabela Grădinaru, joined the official welcoming ceremony on the Marinescu Plateau. The two leaders held tête-à-tête talks, followed by extended bilateral discussions and an official lunch. Joint press statements were scheduled for 12:00, though journalists were not permitted to ask questions.

“It is a strong relationship at the political, economic, and human level, an old relationship. Of course, an important bond in this relationship is the community of Israelis originating from Romania, people who contributed to the building and then the development of the State of Israel.”

Economic and defense cooperation

The agenda centered on expanding bilateral ties, with particular emphasis on economic partnership and security and defense cooperation. Dan highlighted sectors such as agriculture, information technology, and the defense industry as areas with significant untapped potential. He noted that both sides see opportunities for Israeli investments in Romania and Romanian investments in Israel, and pledged continued work to grow trade exchanges.

“We have consistent collaboration in economic fields, security and defense industry, agriculture, information technology, but as I discussed with Mr. President, there is great potential for developing these economic relations in both directions.”

Combating antisemitism and Holocaust education

The meeting took place against the backdrop of the 85th anniversary of the Iași Pogrom of June 1941. Herzog had traveled to Iași on Sunday to participate in the 12th edition of the March of the Living, commemorating the victims. Dan used the occasion to stress the shared responsibility to prevent such tragedies from recurring and to confront a rise in hate speech.

“We see an increase in discourse that incites hatred, and we must act firmly and, at the same time, tactfully against these types of manifestations, so that we achieve de-escalation, deradicalization, a communion among people with different opinions, religions, and beliefs.”

The official agenda also included Holocaust education, measures to combat antisemitism in Romania, and the development of cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.

Regional security: Ukraine and the Middle East

The two presidents addressed recent developments in Romania's neighborhood and the Black Sea region, as well as the Middle East. Dan referred to the war Russia launched in Ukraine four years ago and to the conflict that began on 28 February, when Israel and the United States initiated military action against Iran. The discussions focused on the impact of these conflicts on regional security and the global economy.

“The visit reflects the shared commitment to strengthening cooperation between the two states, an ambition reconfirmed by the increased frequency of high-level contacts in recent years.”

Parliamentary address and diplomatic engagements

In the afternoon, Herzog was received by Senate President Mircea Abrudean and Chamber of Deputies President Sorin Grindeanu. At 17:00, he addressed a solemn joint session of Parliament, with invited heads of diplomatic missions from EU member states, Ukraine, Moldova, and the Israeli Embassy in Bucharest.