Von der Leyen in Bucharest for talks with Romanian leaders

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is visiting Romania on Monday, 9 November, for a series of high-level meetings in Bucharest as part of a wider tour of the Black Sea region.

According to the agenda published by the Presidential Administration, President Nicușor Dan will receive von der Leyen at Cotroceni Palace at 15:30. The two leaders are scheduled to hold one-to-one talks followed by official discussions, and they will make joint press statements at around 17:00.

Later in the day, at 17:45, the European Commission president will meet Prime Minister Luca Niculescu at Victoria Palace, the seat of the Romanian government.

The discussions are expected to focus on several major European agenda items. Presidential adviser Valentin Naumescu said the talks will cover European defence and security, with particular attention to the Black Sea area, as well as European competitiveness and the current energy component. The agenda also includes EU enlargement, especially Romania's support for the Republic of Moldova, and negotiations on the EU's next multiannual financial framework for 2028–2034.

Naumescu added that the European dimension of Romania's strategies and policies is growing in relevance, diversity, coordination and depth, and the discussions will reflect Romania's interests in relation to the European agenda.

European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho confirmed that von der Leyen is on a two-day visit to the Black Sea region on Monday and Tuesday. After Bucharest, she will travel to Varna, Bulgaria, on Tuesday to meet Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and visit the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy. On Wednesday, she will attend the UN COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Turkey, and on Thursday she will take part in a meeting of the European Political Community in Dublin, followed by an informal European Council meeting on Friday.