The European Union (EU) and Moldova signed a defense and security partnership agreement to help Chisinau, a candidate for membership, to better resist Russian threats on Tuesday May 21. “Today, Moldova became the first country to sign a security and defense partnership agreement with the EU”declared Josep Borrell, the head of diplomacy of the Twenty-Seven, during a meeting with the Moldovan Prime Minister, Dorin Recean.
Other agreements will follow to create a network of countries ” friends “ wishing to strengthen their security, which will provide for “closer cooperation” in terms of, for example, cybersecurity, he added.
Moldova, located between Ukraine and Romania, regularly accuses Moscow of seeking to destabilize it, particularly since it is officially a candidate to join the European Union. Member states must decide whether to open official accession negotiations with this country and with Ukraine in the near future. Several of them want the formal start of these negotiations to take place before the end of June, but others, like Hungary, are in less of a hurry.
“Protect your integrity and independence”
The EU did not give details on the content of this agreement, but a European source contacted by Agence France-Presse believes that it aims to strengthen Moldova’s capacity “to protect its integrity and independence”. France also signed a bilateral defense agreement with Moldova in March.
This rapprochement between Moldova and the EU comes after a resurgence of tensions between Chisinau and pro-Russian separatists based in the Transdniester region. Since the 1990s, Russia has supported this separatist territory of Moldova, a pro-European and Romanian-speaking country bordering Ukraine, like it a former Soviet republic. Moscow regularly claims that kyiv and Chisinau are preparing provocations or attacks there.
At the end of February, the Transdniestrian authorities asked Russia for “protective measures” in front of the “increased pressure”, according to them, Moldovans. A narrow strip of land between Moldova and Ukraine, Transdniestria seceded after a short war in 1992 against the Moldovan army. Russia still maintains 1,500 soldiers there, according to official figures, intended in particular to carry out a peacekeeping mission.