Deputy Prime Minister presented in European Parliament the Republic of Moldova’s priorities in security and defence

Acting Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi presented the Republic of Moldova’s priorities in the field of security and defence during the meeting of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE), held in Brussels. The official spoke about strengthening the country’s resilience, cooperation with the European Union, and the measures taken to counter hybrid threats.

At the invitation of the Chair of the SEDE Subcommittee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the head of diplomacy in Chișinău presented the Republic of Moldova’s progress in implementing the Security and Defence Partnership with the European Union, as well as the results achieved with the support provided by the EU through the European Peace Facility (EPF) and the European Union Partnership Mission in the Republic of Moldova (EUPM).

The meeting addressed security developments in the region and the impact of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine on the Republic of Moldova. The minister highlighted the main risks facing the country, including violations of its airspace by drones, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and attempts to interfere in democratic processes.

At the same time, the Moldovan foreign minister presented the actions taken by the authorities in Chișinău to strengthen state institutions, develop defence capabilities, and enhance society’s resilience to hybrid threats.

Mihai Popșoi welcomed the support provided by the European Union through the European Peace Facility, noting that the new assistance package worth 120 million euros is an important signal of European solidarity and support for the modernization of the Republic of Moldova’s defence capabilities.

“Security of the Republic of Moldova is part of European security. Today, our country has much better capabilities to defend itself than it did a few years ago. We have made significant progress in terms of cyber defence and countering Russian hybrid operations. We continue to strengthen our resilience with the support of the European Union and to implement the reforms necessary to advance the accession process,” said Mihai Popșoi.

The minister also mentioned the opening of accession negotiations for Cluster 6 “External relations”, stressing that this step reflects the Republic of Moldova’s progress in foreign policy, security and defence, as well as the country’s commitment to continue the reforms necessary for European integration.

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann noted that the Republic of Moldova is one of the closest partners of the European Union in the Eastern Neighbourhood and reaffirmed the European Parliament’s support for deepening the EU–Republic of Moldova Security and Defence Partnership and for the country’s European path. The meeting of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence took place in Brussels.