Moldova, United Kingdom to strengthen strategic partnership

Moldova and the United Kingdom today reaffirmed their joint commitment to deepen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in key areas, at the fourth meeting of the Strategic Dialogue held in Chisinau.

The event was hosted by Carolina Perebinos, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the British delegation was led by Chris Allan, Director of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Department at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

The discussions focused on strengthening democracy and institutional resilience in Moldova, supporting civil society, economic development and promoting bilateral trade. Also, the sides assessed the progress made since the previous meeting in London in April 2024, highlighting high-level visits and key moments which had   strengthened the Moldovan-British relations.

In the context of regional security, Moldova and the UK reiterated strong support for Ukraine and discussed measures to strengthen Moldova's capacity to withstand foreign interference. The UK announced an investment of 1.1 million pounds in Moldova's cyber capabilities, in order to back the conduct of fair and transparent elections.

The meeting also marked the first evaluation of the Defense and Security Partnership, signed in November 2024. The cooperation aims to combat hybrid threats, informational manipulation, external interference, as well as strengthen criminal justice, fight anti-corruption and the organized crime.

During the dialogue, a Letter of Intent on security cooperation was signed between Moldova's Ministry of Internal Affairs and the UK's Home Affairs Office.

Moldova and the UK finished the details of a Memorandum of Understanding on the mutual recognition of driving licenses, which is to be signed on the next period.

As for economic matters, the two countries welcomed the five-year extension of the liberalization of tariffs on Moldovan exports to the UK, which has significantly increased shipments of plums, grapes and apples to the British market.

The United Kingdom congratulated Moldova on its progress in the process of EU accession, reaffirming support for its democratic path, including the parliamentary elections due this year.

The next Strategic Dialogue meeting will take place in London 2026.