Kyiv, Ukraine – November 8, 2025 – In a series of high-level diplomatic engagements that underscore Ukraine's broadening international alliances, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conducted separate phone conversations on Friday with Romanian President Nicușor Dan and Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun. The discussions, held against the backdrop of intensified Russian military strikes on Ukrainian territory and persistent instability in the Middle East, focused on bolstering defense cooperation, addressing regional security challenges, and advancing diplomatic initiatives aimed at fostering peace and economic resilience.
The calls come at a critical juncture for Ukraine, now in the fourth year of its full-scale invasion by Russia. Recent weeks have seen a surge in Russian aerial assaults, including drone and missile barrages targeting civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa, resulting in at least 47 civilian deaths and widespread power outages across the country. Zelenskyy's outreach to leaders in Romania and Lebanon highlights Kyiv's strategy to diversify its support network beyond traditional Western allies, tapping into partnerships that could enhance military capabilities, secure food supply chains, and promote multilateral diplomacy.
Deepening Ukraine-Romania Defense Partnership
Zelenskyy's conversation with President Nicușor Dan, who assumed office in May 2025 following a landmark electoral victory that defeated a nationalist challenger, was described by both leaders as "productive" and "substantive." In a detailed Telegram post following the call, Zelenskyy outlined the key topics, emphasizing the urgency of countering Russia's rejection of diplomatic overtures. "I briefed him on the current diplomatic situation and the ongoing Russian strikes. Russia continues spurning diplomacy, and we discussed what joint steps could help bring the Russians back to reality," Zelenskyy wrote.
The dialogue delved deeply into defense assistance, with a particular focus on Ukraine's pressing needs for enhanced air defense systems. Romania, a NATO frontline state sharing a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine, has emerged as a vital partner since the war's onset, providing over €3.5 billion in military aid, including Patriot missile interceptors and training for Ukrainian pilots. Zelenskyy highlighted potential collaborations under the European Union's newly launched Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, a €150 billion ($176.7 billion) low-interest loan program designed to accelerate defense investments across member states. Adopted by the EU Council on May 27, 2025, SAFE enables member states to access long-maturity loans backed by the EU budget, prioritizing joint procurements with a 65% European content requirement to foster strategic autonomy. As of August 2025, 18 EU countries, including Romania, had expressed interest in €127 billion worth of loans, signaling robust uptake amid rising threats from Russia.
"We also discussed defense cooperation – our capabilities and means that we are ready to export to Romania, and projects that we can implement together within the SAFE instrument," Zelenskyy noted, pointing to Ukraine's burgeoning domestic arms industry. Despite wartime disruptions, Ukrainian firms like Ukroboronprom have ramped up production of drones, artillery shells, and electronic warfare systems, exporting over $1.2 billion in defense products in 2024 alone. This positions Kyiv not just as a recipient of aid but as a contributor to regional security, with potential joint ventures in air defense enhancements. "We have strong potential for a partnership, and we are equally interested in its realization," he added.
President Dan echoed these sentiments in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stressing the interconnectedness of European security. "Substantive discussion with President @ZelenskyyUa today on the current security situation and the need for increased efforts to achieve a lasting and just peace in Ukraine. Ukraine needs to win this war, as it fights for the security of Europe as a whole and for our joint values," Dan stated. This marks a continuation of the burgeoning Romania-Ukraine relationship, which has intensified since Dan's election. In June 2025, Dan participated in a trilateral summit in Odesa with Zelenskyy and Moldovan President Maia Sandu, focusing on Black Sea security and energy diversification. Romania's strategic location has made it a hub for Ukrainian grain exports via the Danube River, mitigating the impacts of Russia's Black Sea blockade.
Zelenskyy extended a formal invitation for Dan to visit Ukraine, with bilateral teams already coordinating logistics for the trip. Such a visit could yield tangible outcomes, including bilateral agreements on SAFE-funded projects and expanded training exchanges. Analysts suggest this partnership could extend to cyber defense, given Romania's expertise in countering hybrid threats from Moscow.
Ukraine-Lebanon Ties: From Food Security to Middle East Stability
In parallel, Zelenskyy's call with Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun addressed a spectrum of issues from regional peacebuilding to agricultural innovation, reflecting Ukraine's role as a global food security anchor. Elected in January 2025 after a two-year presidential vacancy exacerbated by Hezbollah's political maneuvering, Aoun – a career military officer and former Lebanese Armed Forces commander – has prioritized reasserting state sovereignty amid the fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. The November 2024 truce, brokered under UN Resolution 1701, mandates Lebanese army deployments in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah's withdrawal north of the Litani River, but implementation has faltered with sporadic Israeli incursions and internal displacements affecting 90,000 Lebanese.
"We discussed the topic of food security and our bilateral cooperation. Ukraine is ready to involve its logistics and agrotechnology specialists in the implementation of projects," Zelenskyy shared on Telegram. This builds on an earlier January 2025 conversation where Zelenskyy proposed establishing a "food hub" in Lebanon to stabilize supplies for its 6.5 million residents, many grappling with hyperinflation and a 80% poverty rate post-2019 economic collapse. Ukraine, once the world's third-largest grain exporter, has maintained vital maritime corridors despite Russian attacks, shipping over 50 million tons of commodities since August 2023 via the Black Sea Grain Initiative's successor frameworks.
The leaders aligned on broader peace efforts, with Zelenskyy affirming Kyiv's support for Lebanon's stabilization initiatives. "Ukraine supports all the efforts by Lebanon and the international community to ensure stability in the Middle East. Achieving real peace is equally important for both our regions," he stated, while expressing appreciation for Beirut's consistent backing of Ukraine's sovereignty at the UN. Lebanon, hosting 1.5 million Syrian refugees and facing its own border tensions, views Ukraine's resilience as a model for asymmetric warfare defense. Bilateral trade, though modest at $200 million annually, could expand through Ukrainian expertise in precision agriculture – technologies like drone-based crop monitoring that have boosted yields by 20% in Ukraine's fertile steppes.
This exchange is the second between the two presidents this year, following Aoun's January inauguration. It aligns with Ukraine's "Peace Formula" diplomacy, which advocates for territorial integrity and nuclear non-proliferation – principles resonant in Lebanon's disarmament debates over Hezbollah's arsenal. Experts note that such engagements could facilitate trilateral forums involving the EU, enhancing logistics corridors from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
Broader Implications for Global Diplomacy
These calls illustrate Zelenskyy's multifaceted diplomatic pivot, blending immediate military needs with long-term economic ties. As Russia escalates its winter offensive – with over 1,200 drones launched in October alone – Ukraine seeks to leverage SAFE's framework not only for imports but exports, potentially generating $500 million in revenue by 2026. In the Middle East, Ukraine's food diplomacy counters narratives of unreliability, reinforcing its UN Security Council aspirations.
Romanian and Lebanese officials have yet to issue full readouts, but sources indicate follow-up mechanisms, including virtual working groups on SAFE and a potential Ukraine-Lebanon agricultural memorandum. As Europe grapples with defense spending hikes – NATO members targeting 2% GDP by 2026 – and the Middle East navigates post-ceasefire reconstruction, Zelenskyy's initiatives signal a resilient Ukraine embedding itself in interdependent security architectures.
