Romania supports a ceasefire in the Black Sea region, interim Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said on Monday, stressing that Russia must not be allowed to use bread 'as a weapon.'

'Our priority, from Romania's perspective, is to support a ceasefire at the Black Sea. We have witnessed direct attacks on vessels in the Black Sea's exclusive economic zone. Sadly, two people were killed and we extend our condolences to their families. Our rescue teams assisted the injured crew members, who were taken to hospital in Romania. They are now in good condition and we are grateful to the teams involved in the rescue operations,' Toiu said ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.

She said that similar attacks had also taken place in Bulgarian maritime waters.

'The Black Sea is a vital artery for food supplies to the entire world. Romania, for example, is the leading exporter of wheat and oilseeds. In the Black Sea region, almost a quarter of global oilseed shipments originate from our countries,' the minister said.

Oana Toiu added that one third of the global wheat trade originates in the Black Sea region and that approximately 55% of Ukrainian wheat passes through infrastructure supported by Romania. According to her, discussions are under way on increasing transit capacity.

Romania also supports a ceasefire covering Ukraine's energy infrastructure and civilians, the interim Foreign Minister stressed.

'With regard to energy infrastructure, Romania is discussing increased connectivity with countries in the region, including Georgia. It is important for us to continue these efforts,' Toiu said.

She underlined the importance of the Black Sea for food security, describing it as 'the world's food artery, particularly at a time when several crises are overlapping.'

'We have seen growing pressure on economies and budget deficits, particularly in developing countries, as agricultural inflation has returned, with the security situation in the Black Sea being one of the contributing factors. If we succeed in restoring secure corridors in the Black Sea, this will also have a positive impact on countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, especially as they are now feeling the pressure of food prices in terms of actual access to food. We must keep repeating that Russia must not be allowed to use bread as a weapon,' Oana Toiu said.

Romania, together with Bulgaria and Türkiye, is involved in mine clearance operations and in protecting critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, an issue addressed both within NATO and in dialogue with the European Commission, the minister brought to mind.

'At EU level, this means that, when negotiating the new Multiannual Financial Framework, the eastern regions will be a priority and we will have a mechanism to ensure greater security,' Toiu said.

'We support collective efforts to halt fuel imports from Russia in our region by increasing domestic production. We are currently the European Union's largest natural gas producer and, with the resources available in the Black Sea and the Neptun Deep project, which will bring natural gas to the market next year, our production will increase by 80%. (...) We will continue to maintain pressure on Russia. Romania fully supports ending the issuance of tourist visas to Russian citizens. This would not have a significant impact in our case, as we have not issued a substantial number of such visas,' the minister added. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Ghita; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)

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