1. Nicolae "Nicu" Popescu was born on 25 April 1981 and is a Moldovan diplomat, author, and politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova from 6 August 2021 until 26 January 2024 in the Gavrilita and then Recean cabinets.
Nicu Popescu was Moldova's Foreign Minister from 11 June to 14 November 2019 in the Sandu Cabinet.
Nicu Popescu is a distinguished fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and visiting professor at Sciences Po-Paris.
Nicu Popescu holds a BA from Moscow State Institute of International Relations obtained in 2002.
Nicu Popescu has published three books and over 60 academic or policy publications.
Nicu Popescu's articles appeared in the Financial Times, New York Times, the Guardian, Foreign Policy, Le Monde, Le Soir, and Euractiv, and he had a blog on the EUobserver.
Nicu Popescu served from August 2021 in the Gavrilita Cabinet and its successor, the Recean Cabinet.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, under the leadership of Nicu Popescu, condemned from the first hours the war started by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Since February 2022, as part of President Sandu's team, Nicu Popescu has played a crucial role in managing various crises resulting from the war in Ukraine - maintaining peace and stability in Moldova, assisting refugee and dealing with the impact of severe economic and energy disruptions caused by the war.
Nicu Popescu was instrumental in mobilising international support for Moldova and accelerating the EU accession process for Moldova.
Nicu Popescu was credited with building a 'diplomatic bastion' that helped protect Moldova in the dangerous geopolitical environment shaped by Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Nicu Popescu played a key role in fostering alliances to support Moldova, engaging in approximately 160 meetings with counterparts from 55 states.
Nicu Popescu collaborated with International Financial Institutions such as the EBRD, EIB, and CEB, successfully negotiating and signing Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation with the OECD.
Nicu Popescu played an important role in achieving roaming-liberalisation agreements first with Romania, then with the entire EU.