Moldova has concluded a defense partnership agreement with the EU

Moldova signed a security and defense partnership agreement with the European Union. As EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell noted, this is the first country to conclude such an agreement with the European bloc.

“This partnership will strengthen the country’s resilience…will allow us to jointly address common security issues, make our interaction more effective and explore new areas of cooperation,” Borrell wrote on the social network X.

The document signing ceremony took place in Brussels with the participation of a government delegation from Chisinau led by Prime Minister Dorin Recean and Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gerasimova.

In the draft agreement that I have read Moldavian service of Radio Liberty, it is said that in the future Moldova could participate, if it wishes, in a new European framework for responding to crises in neighboring countries. Other areas of cooperation include civil defense, extensive exchange of information, combating cyber threats, and assistance to Moldova in promoting its interests on international platforms, including the UN.

Also mentioned is the possibility of Chisinau’s participation in EU projects in the defense industry, Brussels’ intention to provide more support to Moldova in border protection, including in the fight against illegal migration and human trafficking, as well as organized crime and arms smuggling.

The new agreement follows a number of other joint steps taken by Moldova and the EU in the field of security and defense, especially in light of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 2022, the Moldova Service notes.

• Moldova, now led by pro-Western President Maia Sandu, supports the country’s entry into the EU and NATO. After Russia’s war against Ukraine began, Sandu strongly condemned the invasion. She has repeatedly stated attempts by the Russian authorities to destabilize the situation in the country, including through interference in the electoral process, which Moscow called unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations.