Moldovan parliament speaker says Ukraine's security most important investment in security of Moldova

Support for Ukraine is also a direct investment in the security of Moldova and the whole of Europe. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu today made statements to this effect at the opening of the 109th Rose-Roth Seminar, organized in Chisinau in cooperation with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The official referred to the war in Ukraine, hybrid threats and the need to strengthen Moldova’s capacity to protect its airspace and citizens.

Igor Grosu stressed that Moldova was facing a complicated security context in which, in addition to the war in Ukraine, it is confronted with various forms of interference and hybrid pressure.

“A few hundred kilometers from this hall, the largest war Europe has experienced since the Second World War is taking place. For almost five years, Ukraine has been resisting the Russian aggression. The effects of this war are reaching us more and more often. From the beginning of the year until today, 48 airborne objects, including drones and missiles, have violated our airspace, with some exploding on our territory. That is more than in the previous four years combined, when 37 cases were recorded,” the parliament speaker said.

According to Igor Grosu, Moldova is also facing, in parallel, an “other war,” in which conventional military forces are not used, but rather hybrid instruments.

“For years, Moldova has also been experiencing another war, in which no army crosses the border. A hybrid war: dirty money to buy votes, disinformation, energy blackmail and cyberattacks. Through these means, Russia seeks to sow distrust and cause chaos,” Igor Grosu said.

In his view, one of the main lessons of recent years is the need to identify vulnerabilities early and intervene before they are exploited.

“We have understood how important it is to recognize a vulnerability early and act before it is used against you. That is precisely what I would like to discuss and share some of the lessons we have learned,” the parliament speaker said.

The first lesson mentioned by Igor Grosu was prevention, particularly in the case of electoral interference.

“Interference must be prevented well before election day. You have to follow the money, identify the networks and intervene in time. In fact, time matters enormously in this confrontation. Those who try to influence elections prepare the ground long before the campaign. They build networks, find intermediaries and test messages that trigger fear and distrust. If we start reacting only when the effects become obvious, some of the damage has already been done,” he explained.

The second lesson, according to Grosu, is to expose interference mechanisms and inform citizens before they produce effects.

“Before the 2025 elections, the authorities publicly said, months in advance, which tools would be used: illegal financing, disinformation, paid protests and cyberattacks. We worked with online platforms. We explained to people, in simple terms, what they would encounter. An attack that people recognize has a much lower chance of succeeding,” Igor Grosu said.

The parliament speaker also highlighted the role of investigative journalism in documenting attempts to influence electoral processes.

“Exposing these networks gains even more credibility when the efforts of state institutions are complemented by the work of the investigative press,” the official said.

Another lesson outlined by Igor Grosu is that democracy must be defended continuously.

The speaker stressed that protective measures must be taken in compliance with the law and based on evidence.

“In a democracy, people have the right to criticize those in power, protest and choose a different government. That is precisely why, we must ensure that the election’s results are decided by citizens. When a foreign power pays for votes and organizes violence, the state is obliged to intervene. We must do so based on evidence, in compliance with the law and with the possibility of challenging decisions in court. But we must act in time, even if the decisions are difficult and will be criticized,” the parliament speaker said.

Referring to Moldova’s neutral status, Igor Grosu said that it must be backed by the state’s capacity to protect its territory and citizens.

“Moldova remains a neutral state. But the experience of recent years has shown us very clearly that neutrality must be backed by the state’s real capacity to protect its territory and citizens. Peace and security come at a cost. For many years, Moldova believed that investments in defense could be postponed. Today we see the price of that mindset,” Grosu said.

In the context, the official spoke about the importance of supporting Ukraine.

“The most important investment in the security of Moldova today is Ukraine’s security. As long as Ukraine resists, the war remains far from our cities and villages. Support for Ukraine is also a direct investment in the security of Moldova and the whole of Europe,” Igor Grosu said.

The parliament speaker also advocated strengthening cooperation among democratic states in the field of security.

“We need democratic states to share information, coordinate their investments in defense, protect critical infrastructure and act faster than those seeking to exploit the vulnerabilities of our systems,” Igor Grosu concluded.

The 109th Rose-Roth Seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is taking place in Chisinau and is dedicated to the security challenges facing Moldova and the regions in its neighborhood.