UWC Vice President joins Romanian parliamentary delegation visit to Odesa region

Mykola-Myroslav Petretskyi, head of the Union of Ukrainians of Romania (UUR) and UWC Vice President for Eastern Europe, paid an official visit to Ukraine’s Odesa region as part of a Romanian parliamentary delegation.

“As chair of the parliamentary friendship group with Ukraine, on Tuesday, Aug. 19, I began the first bilateral parliamentary visit to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion,” Petretskyi said.

The Romanian parliamentary delegation also included Ioan Balan, deputy chair of the group, and Cristian Brian, a member of the friendship group with Ukraine.

The program began in Izmail, home to a strong and active Romanian community.

“Starting the visit here is no coincidence — it underscores the importance Romania places on the historical, cultural, and human ties between our two countries, as well as on the communities that serve as living bridges between our peoples,” Petretskyi said.

During the visit to Izmail, Petretskyi met with local authorities, expressed solidarity with Ukraine, and reaffirmed support for its sovereignty and European course.

The UWC Vice President discussed bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Romania, particularly in education and culture. 

He met with Yaroslav Kichuk, the rector of Izmail State University for the Humanities, to explore the development of native-language education and cooperation with Romanian universities. 

Petretskyi also engaged with representatives of the Romanian community to discuss support and integration into regional life.

“The visit by members of the parliamentary friendship group with Ukraine is not only an expression of Romania’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people, but also a confirmation of the role parliamentary diplomacy plays as a tool for bringing our countries closer and strengthening relations between two neighboring states that share common values and a vision for the European future of our region,” Petretskyi said.