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Moldova and the EU are set to deepen their defence co-operation to unprecedented levels, as Chisinau defies warnings from Moscow that closer western integration could see it face Ukraine’s fate.
Sandwiched between Ukraine and Nato and EU member Romania, the former Soviet republic has responded to Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour by turning sharply towards the west, becoming a formal candidate to join the EU and seeking to rapidly overhaul its judicial, economic and security policies.
Under an EU proposal, set to be agreed next week and seen by the Financial Times, Moldova would increase its intelligence sharing, carry out joint military exercises and be included in the bloc’s joint weapons procurement — measures that would constitute the deepest formal step to link its national defence to western partners. The country’s constitution proclaims “permanent neutrality” and rules out membership of Nato.
The proposed “security and defence partnership” with Brussels comes despite Russian officials’ repeated warnings that Moldova could face the same fate as Ukraine if it aligns with the west.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in March said Brussels had offered Moldova the same ultimatum as Ukraine, which he described as “either us or Russia”.
Lavrov said Moscow would “defend” the ethnic Russian population in Moldova and that Chisinau risked “following in the footsteps of the regime in Kyiv”.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova last week compared Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s policies to those of the Nazi regime — an accusation the Kremlin has also levelled against Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Moldova, which last October formally declared Russia a “security threat” for the first time, has signed a bilateral security agreement with France and receives some EU funding to bolster its defence capabilities.
The EU has also imposed sanctions on Russia-linked entities it says have sought to destabilise the country, in response to an alleged attempted coup against Sandu’s government, and efforts by Moscow-backed groups to influence local elections and conduct other “hybrid” attacks.
The new security partnership with Brussels would seek to “consolidate” Moldova’s participation in EU defence missions, including “live” military exercises. The eastern European nation would also be integrated in “initiatives related to defence industry, including joint procurement”.
Moldova and the EU will also take steps to “expand the scope” and increase the classification level of shared intelligence, the proposal states.
The partnership would also seek to increase co-operation between Moldovan and European agencies to defend against foreign manipulation, cyber and terrorist threats, the document said.
“This is a confirmation of the increased integration of Moldova’s security and defence stance with the EU,” said an official involved in the negotiations over the bloc’s agreement. “It has come a long way in just two years.”
“This puts structure and organisation around the co-operation,” the official added.
The proposal will be discussed by EU diplomats this week and is intended to be formally signed off next week, officials said.
The Moldovan government and the European Commission declined to comment.
