Moldovan president, at Moldova Security Forum, says Moldova to be better protected against Russia’s threats in European Union

Membership in the European Union will provide Moldova with stronger protection against threats from Russia. President Maia Sandu today made statements to this effect at the Moldova Security Forum. The head of state emphasized that, in many areas of security, Moldova was already acting like a member state, and that a small country located next to a war needs the protection of a larger family. Air defense stays the most urgent priority, as Russian drones are increasingly violating the country’s airspace.

The forum, now in its third edition, brings together more than 700 officials, experts and journalists in Chisinau from Moldova, European countries, the United States, and international organizations. The event is organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the NATO Liaison Office in Moldova and the Institute for European Policies and Reforms.

The head of state referred to efforts to modernize the security and defense sector, carried out with the support of partners. Since 2021, the European Peace Facility has been the main source of support for air defense and Moldova is its second-largest beneficiary after Ukraine. The Moldovan president noted that drone technology was advancing faster than defense capabilities, while procurement rules are designed for peacetime. “To keep pace, we need common rules, joint projects, and pooled resources. For Moldova, membership in the European Union is the natural platform for all three,” Maia Sandu said.

Defense partnerships are also targets of Russian manipulation. The Moldovan president gave as an example the disinformation campaign launched after Norway decided to expand its support for Moldova to include defense equipment, services, and training. “Moscow wants to discredit our defense partnerships and reduce public support for a modern army. A weak army suits Moscow on the day defense becomes necessary,” the head of state warned.

The results of the modernization efforts were visible at the Independence Day parade, where more than 2,000 soldiers, police officers, intelligence officers, firefighters, and employees of other security institutions marched alongside flag-bearing groups from nine partner countries. At the same time, Moldovan police officers and border guards strengthened communication with their counterparts in the European Union, during joint operations against cross-border crime. “When crime does not respect borders, the fight against it cannot stop at the border either,” the president said.

In the context, Maia Sandu welcomed the decision of the United States Department of the Treasury to designate Ilan Shor’s A7 network as a transnational criminal organization. Shor was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for the 2014 billion-dollar bank theft. According to U.S. authorities, the network also helped Iran evade sanctions and laundered money stolen by North Korean hackers.

The head of state said that Moldovans chose a European future under the greatest pressure the country had ever faced, and that the progress made at home must be reflected in the accession process. “Moldova is a security provider today. In the European family, we will be an even stronger security provider,” Maia Sandu concluded.