AKWorld welcomed members and guests for an engaging Coffee & Conversation with His Excellency Andrei Muraru, Ambassador of Romania to the United States. Attendees heard Ambassador Muraru’s perspectives on Romania’s strategic partnership with the United States, regional security, and the evolving geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe.
A central theme was the enduring relationship between Romania and the United States. Ambassador Muraru reflected on Romania’s long-standing commitment as one of America’s strongest allies in the region, emphasizing the country’s steadfast support for the United States through its membership in NATO and its contributions to regional security. He highlighted the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States as a cornerstone of Romania’s foreign policy.
The Ambassador also shared a fascinating historical connection between Romania and Alaska. He spoke about George Pomuț, an ethnic Romanian-born American Civil War general and U.S. diplomat, who played a key role in the negotiations surrounding the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.
The conversation then turned to the ongoing war in Ukraine and its implications for Romania. Ambassador Muraru also explored what factors could ultimately prove to be the inflection point of the conflict.
Looking beyond Eastern Europe, Ambassador Muraru expressed Romania’s growing interest in Arctic affairs, recognizing the region’s increasing strategic importance as global security, energy, trade, and climate considerations continue to evolve. He noted that Romania is eager to learn from Arctic stakeholders, including Alaska, and sees opportunities for greater dialogue and cooperation on Arctic security and other emerging geopolitical challenges.
The event concluded with a question-and-answer session, where attendees engaged Ambassador Muraru on a range of topics. The discussion reflected AKWorld’s mission of fostering informed dialogue on the global issues shaping our world.
About the Speaker
Andrei Muraru has been accredited by the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the United States on July 7, 2021. The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, accepted his Letters of Credence on September 15, 2021.
He had worked at the Institute for the Investigation of Communist Crimes and the Memory of the Romanian Exile (IICCMER) – a governmental agency coordinated by the Romanian PM – since its foundation (2006), holding different offices, from expert-researcher to Executive President (2012-2014). Between 2006 and 2009, he acted as counselor within the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Romania and was also personal advisor to the General Director of the National Archives of Romania (CNSAS). He was also a member of the Administrative Board of the Romanian Television (2014). Between July and December 2014, he was personal advisor to the President of the National Liberal Party, Klaus Iohannis Between 2014 and 2021, Andrei Muraru was Senior Advisor to the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, at the Presidential Administration, serving as the head of the Department of Relationship with Public Authorities and Civil Society.
Andrei Muraru is a university lecturer at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (Department of International Relations and European Integration) and scientific researcher III at The Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania.
He is the author of the volume “Vișinescu, the Forgotten Torturer: the Prison, the Crimes, the Trial” (Polirom Publishing House, 2018), the coordinator of several volumes – “The Book of the Romanian Communist Prisons 1945-1967” (Polirom, 2008), “The King, the Communists and the Crown: The True History of Michael I’s Abdication” (together with Alexandru Muraru; Polirom Publishing House, 2017), “The 1989 Revolution. Winners and Losers” (together with Anneli Ute Gabanyi, Alexandru Muraru, Daniel Sandru; Polirom Publishing House, 2020), and co-author of “A History of Communism in Romania. High-School Handbook” (Polirom Publishing House, 2008, 2nd edition 2009, 3rd edition 2014), the only existing handbook about communism in Romania.
He has frequently published studies and reviews in peer-reviewed journals and participated in numerous international conferences and has recurrent contributions on recent history topics.He was awarded, by H.M. King Michael I, the Medal “King Michael for Loyalty” for his contribution to the historiography of the Romanian monarchy (2008) and he was granted the distinction of Officer in the Order of the Crown.
Education: Andrei Muraru (born 1982) holds a PhD in History (2011) from the University “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” in Iași, as well as an MA (2007) and BA (2005) in History from the same university.