Speech by His Majesty the King in Constanta (Romania) in the presence of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis

Mr. President,

Thank you for welcoming me in Constanta and for your kind words.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, I feel strong emotions: anger, pride and hope.

 

First, anger. An enormous anger. Because a sovereign nation was brutally invaded before our very eyes, in blatant violation of international laws. The Russian aggression against Ukraine has caused, for the first time in decades in Europe, immeasurable suffering among an innocent population. Weapons have sown death and thrown our continent at war again.

 

Secondly, pride. Pride because European countries have united in the face of this act of barbarism, of these abuses, of this outpouring of indescribable violence. The European Union reacted with one voice, stood together, condemned the aggressor and adopted sanctions.  NATO also reacted quickly, deploying troops and equipment on its eastern flank. Your presence here, soldiers from seven NATO countries, far from home, in sometimes difficult conditions, proves that the solidarity of an alliance is measured in critical moments. I came here to support you, you and your families who are far away and miss you!

 

Lastly, I feel hope. Hope that this fighting will end soon, that we can rebuild a free and prosperous Ukraine. The support of the Western world will not end with the last gunfire. Our values will triumph: democracy, freedom, solidarity and respect for human rights.

 

Thank you.