H.E. Dr. Laureniu-Mihai tefan:

As politicians, the members know how to sell this and convince their constituents. I thank the committee for keeping an interest even if they were not on the trip. As I mentioned in my introductory remarks, the committee has a critical role in bringing these issues and stories to the public and officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and other Departments. Especially after their trip, the members sense what is needed there and the lack of funds in countries that may be affected even more seriously. Russia is unpredictable and we should expect the worst. Let us prepare for the worst and let us see.

I know Ireland is militarily neutral but I appreciate that it is not neutral when it comes to values and our approach. Romanians and Moldovans really appreciate the fact that from the very first moment, Ireland's position was clear and its engagement on the right side of history was clear-cut. Now we have to find ways together in bilateral terms, which is our offering here today, and also at European level, to find out how to move the European Union project along together and how to advance it in countries like Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, when the time is right, of course. It is a thorny process. We must also find out how to protect ourselves from dangers in the future. It had me scared a little bit when Russia announced the exercises in the waters off this island three months ago. Bad things may happen to all countries regardless of their position in Europe. Let us work together to fend off these dangers in the future.