On October 31, 2024, the Embassy of Russia in Bucharest hosted an official reception in honor of National Unity Day. The event was attended by representatives from compatriot organizations, the foreign diplomatic corps, the Romanian Parliament, friendship associations of Romania with Russia and the DPRK, business circles, clergy, scientists, cultural figures, and journalists. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Romania, V.G. Lipaev, delivered a welcoming speech. Congratulating compatriots, the diplomat emphasized that the unity of the Russian people was the key factor that allowed them in the early 17th century, during the so-called "Time of Troubles," to defend their homeland and drive out foreign invaders and their collaborators. Today, the so-called "collective West," through the conflict in Ukraine and illegitimate sanctions imposed in circumvention of the UN Charter, is again attempting to fracture this unity and undermine the economic potential of our country. The steady growth of the Russian economy in recent years serves as evidence of the futility of these efforts. The Ambassador specifically highlighted President V.V. Putin's words from his 2023 address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, stating that "Russia is not at war with the Ukrainian people." He also recalled the decision made by the Pereyaslav Rada, led by Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, in 1654, which declared that Ukraine would be "forever united" with Russia. This mandate is disregarded by the current Kyiv regime, which acts against its own people, sacrificing them for the profits of Western monopolies. It was emphasized that a resolution in Ukraine is possible only by considering Russia’s interests and based on the proposals voiced by President V.V. Putin on June 14 during a meeting at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The cultural program featured a few songs performed by the Romanian pop star and native of the Ivanovo region, Marina Voica, who is also a recipient of the Order of the Romanian Crown. The talented young Romanian composer, pianist, and conductor Matei Bucur Mihăescu performed his original piece, a neo-romantic piano composition titled “Red Square.” In the foyer, an exhibition of traditional Russian icons by the iconographer Ekaterina Titova was on display. Press Service of the Embassy