Former Prime Minister Victor Ponta is urging President Nicușor Dan to attend the summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), scheduled for October 24 in Saudi Arabia.
Ponta argues that the visit would mark a historic first for Romania and offer an opportunity to revitalize economic relations with states in the region, at a time when Saudi Arabia is facing a series of missile and drone attacks.
On Tuesday, Victor Ponta issued a public message to President Nicușor Dan, urging him to accept the invitation to attend the EU-GCC summit alongside European leaders and representatives of the six Gulf monarchies.
The former prime minister believes Romania should not miss such a gathering, considering both its economic interests and its diplomatic positioning amidst Middle East tensions.
„The Romanian saying ‘God builds a nest for the one-eyed stork’ still holds true!” Victor Ponta began in the message posted on Facebook.
„The invitation extended to the President of Romania—alongside the other 26 heads of state and government—to attend the EU-GCC Summit is a historic opportunity for Romania, one I hope we do not miss!” the former prime minister continued.
Ponta: It Would Be the First Visit by a Romanian President to Saudi Arabia
Victor Ponta presents four arguments in favor of Nicușor Dan attending the international meeting. First of all, the former prime minister argues that the trip would mark the first visit by a Romanian president to Saudi Arabia, a country with major geopolitical and economic influence.
„I visited there as prime minister, but no Romanian president has ever been to Riyadh,” Ponta states.
He also points out that the Romanian president would have the opportunity to hold direct talks with the leaders of all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.
Another argument raised by the former prime minister concerns the security situation in the region.
„This is a crucial moment for Romania to demonstrate solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of the terrorist attacks it is currently enduring,” Victor Ponta wrote.
Finally, the former head of government maintains that attending the summit could help revive economic projects discussed during his 2015 official visit—projects he claims have been „frozen” for the past 11 years.
„I hope President Nicușor Dan decides to attend! God willing! Inshallah!” Victor Ponta concluded his message.
EU-GCC Summit Scheduled for October 24
The meeting Victor Ponta refers to will take place on October 24, 2026, in Saudi Arabia, and will mark the second high-level summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council. According to the official announcement by the European Council, the meeting will be co-chaired on the European side by António Costa, President of the European Council, with the European Union also represented by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
The first EU–GCC summit took place in Brussels in October 2024, focusing on strengthening the strategic partnership between the two regions.
The cooperation agenda covers trade, investment, energy, climate change, and regional security, including diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia hit by deadly attacks ahead of the meeting
The summit comes at a particularly tense time for Saudi Arabia, following attacks launched against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
On October 10, 12 people were killed and over 300 injured in an attack attributed to Iran-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen. The airport was targeted again in the following days, causing further casualties and major air traffic disruptions.
The attacks have heightened fears of the regional conflict spreading and raised questions regarding the ability of Saudi air defense systems to protect strategic infrastructure.