UWC Vice President leads Romania-Ukraine parliamentary friendship group

The Romanian Parliament has appointed Mykola-Myroslav Petretskyi, Head of the Union of Ukrainians of Romania (UUR) and UWC Vice President for Eastern Europe, as the head of the parliamentary friendship group with Ukraine.

“I would like to thank my fellow parliamentarians for the trust they have placed in me by electing me to this position. It is a great honor, but also a significant responsibility, which I take very seriously,” Petretskyi said.

The parliamentary group of national minorities had put forth the proposal to appoint Petretskyi. The majority of the lawmakers voted in favor of the UWC Vice President’s candidacy.

“As the head of UUR and a representative of the Ukrainian minority in [Romania’s] Parliament, I believe I have the experience needed to face the new challenges that this position brings,” Petretskyi said.

In his new role, Petretskyi seeks to strengthen Romania-Ukraine relations through “open dialogue, parliamentary cooperation, and mutual support.”

“I will remain a strong advocate for open and constructive relations between our countries. I will continue to work on strengthening bilateral ties between Romania and Ukraine across all levels: parliamentary, diplomatic, cultural, and educational,” he said.

Petretskyi emphasized the importance of Romania being an “active and visible” partner in supporting Ukraine’s democratic, European, and sovereign path.

“I will support efforts to elevate Romania-Ukraine relations to the level of strategic partnership, the highest form of cooperation between our two countries,” he said.

The UWC Vice President also noted that together, Romania, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova will become “a new force for the entire Black Sea region.”

The UWC congratulates Mykola-Myroslav Petretskyi on his new role and is confident that he will continue to work effectively to further strengthen the relationship between Romania and Ukraine.