Moldovan president in Kyiv says security of Moldova, security of Ukraine interconnected

President Maia Sandu today paid an official visit to Kyiv, where she had talks with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Iulia Svyrydenko. The discussions focused on bilateral cooperation in energy, transport and trade, regional security and the process of accession to the European Union. The visit coincided with the commemoration of 40 years since the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

The Moldovan head of state conveyed a strong message of solidarity with Ukraine: “I want to tell the Ukrainian people: we see you; we stand with you.” President Sandu stressed that Russia’s threats do not stop at Ukraine’s borders, also pointing to the direct impact on Moldova: the attack on the Novodnistrovsk power plant, which polluted the waters of the Dniester and left 300,000 Moldovans without drinking water for almost a week, disruptions in electricity supply and repeated infringements of its airspace. “The security of Moldova and the security of Ukraine are interconnected,” Maia Sandu said. “By defending itself, Ukraine is also defending us.”

At the same time, the Moldovan president advocated for the formal opening of EU accession negotiations, emphasizing that both Moldova and Ukraine had fulfilled all the conditions. “When the EU granted Ukraine the 90-billion-euros loan and adopted new sanctions against Russia, it acted with unity and determination. The EU should bring the same unity to the enlargement process—and officially open negotiations with Moldova and Ukraine without delay.”

The visit’s agenda also includes a trip by the two presidents to Chernobyl, in order to pay tribute to those who had sacrificed their health and lives to limit the consequences of the nuclear disaster 40 years ago.