Romania accuses Russia of hybrid warfare as von der Leyen calls for Ukraine ceasefire

Romania accuses Moscow

Romanian President Nicusor Dan accused Russia on Monday, 9 November, of trying to draw European countries into a conflict with Ukraine through hybrid warfare. The accusation came on the day European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met him in Bucharest. Several countries around the Black Sea have publicly denounced attacks that Moscow is alleged to have carried out. Romania's own complaint dates to October, when it blamed a Russian drone attack for sinking a cargo ship off its Black Sea coast. One crew member died in that attack and three others were reported missing.

Von der Leyen links talks to a ceasefire

At a press conference in Bucharest beside Dan, von der Leyen said any meaningful debate on Europe's security architecture could only take place after a ceasefire in Ukraine. She said such discussions should be held in an appropriate forum, particularly with NATO allies and EU member states. She backed the US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi scheduled for this week's round. Before those talks, the EU and NATO met in Brussels to prepare, covering security guarantees and Ukraine's future reconstruction, with World Bank participation. The Commission and the European Council confirmed they will send a joint delegation to Abu Dhabi, and the Atlantic Alliance is also set to take part. The Commission is also working on a post-war prosperity plan for Ukraine aimed at securing stability and reconstruction.

Ceasefire call and Black Sea navigation

Von der Leyen issued a written statement from Brussels before her trip to Romania and Bulgaria, saying threats to security were intensifying, attacks were increasing and innocent lives had already been lost. The statement said freedom of navigation in the Black Sea must be restored and preserved. She called for a ceasefire covering Ukraine's food and energy infrastructure, sectors she described as vital to civilians and the economy. Before the trip she spoke by phone with Volodymyr Zelensky about navigation security, protection of essential infrastructure and diplomatic efforts. The visit is meant to coordinate security on the EU's eastern flank and its trade routes, with the Black Sea basin a critical point for grain and energy transport. Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria have asked NATO to accelerate additional surveillance capabilities to protect commercial shipping, and NATO has agreed to send more maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the Black Sea.

Abu Dhabi talks

Talks between Moscow and Kyiv, mediated by Washington, are due in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 and 11 November. The United States wants the discussion to go wider, into the future European security architecture, a phrase the Kremlin often uses. The sequence of events leading up to the talks is set out below.

Germany's government said the priority of the negotiations should be ending Russia's war in Ukraine, and reaffirmed European support for Zelensky's efforts to reach a peace agreement.