VIDEO // Moldovan president in Helsinki says war reaching territory of Moldova; Finnish head of state: ''Moldova’s place is in the EU”

Moldova and Finland will strengthen their cooperation in the areas of resilience and security, while Helsinki is reaffirming its support for Moldova’s European path. President Maia Sandu and Finnish President Alexander Stubb discussed bilateral relations, European security, the war in Ukraine, hybrid threats and  Moldova’s process of accession to the European Union at a joint news conference held in Helsinki today.

“Finland and Moldova have many things in common, and it is a pleasure to continue developing our relations. These common elements stem from our values and our strong belief in freedom and liberal democracy, freedom, justice, equality, human rights, fundamental rights and the rule of law, which underpin the order of international institutions. During today’s meeting, we discussed bilateral relations, European security, hybrid threats and Ukraine, as well as the need for the European integration of Moldova,” the president of Finland said.

Alexander Stubb noted that Moldova is important for European security and emphasized that the country’s place is in the European Union.

“Moldova’s place is in the European Union. Moldova belongs to the family of European liberal democracies. Moldova and its citizens have demonstrated resilience and a firm commitment to a European future. I also admire your personal commitment to this agenda. Finland stays committed to supporting Moldova’s path toward joining the European Union. Sooner rather than later, I believe the strategic window is open now and we must use it. The resilience showed by Moldova in countering Russian hybrid influence is something from which we can learn more,” the Finnish president said.

The president of Finland also praised Moldova’s experience in countering Russian hybrid influence and said that this experience could benefit other countries as well. Alexander Stubb condemned the drone attacks on border crossing points between Ukraine and Moldova and reaffirmed Finland’s support for Ukraine and Moldova.

“Finland strongly condemns these attacks. We offer strong support to Moldova, and we are both firm and active supporters of Ukraine,” the Finnish president said.

 





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President Maia Sandu proposed establishing a structured Moldovan-Finnish dialogue on resilience. The head of state noted that Moldova has much to learn from Finland’s comprehensive security model and its experience in the field of civil preparedness.

“We already have a very good political dialogue. We have much to learn from Finland: from your comprehensive security model, from civilian preparedness and from the sense of calm that comes from being prepared. That is why, I proposed establishing a structured dialogue between Moldova and Finland on resilience. We also want to join Finland and other countries working, in order to ensure that the most advanced artificial intelligence models remain under human control. Our partnership is also based on the experiences we share. Finland knows from its own history what it means to stand up to an aggressor, defend your identity and choose for yourself where you belong. This gives our relationship a special depth,” the Moldovan president said.

The head of state emphasized that Moldova was continuing its European path and noted that the Moldovan authorities were counting on Finland’s support for the next steps in the accession process.

“Today, we ask Europe for the same determination. This year, Moldova officially opened the first negotiation chapters for accession to the European Union. We are carrying out reforms and fulfilling every condition on merit. We are counting on Finland’s support to take the next steps this autumn,” Maia Sandu said.

Maia Sandu said that the war in Ukraine was coming increasingly close to Moldova. According to the head of state, this year Russian drones have entered the airspace of Moldova more than 45 times, with eight of these incidents occurring in the past week.

“Our response is to become stronger. We are investing in air defense, modernizing our army and increasing defense spending. We are strengthening our capacity to counter information manipulation and cyberattacks and to protect our elections. (...) Last year, Russia spent an amount equivalent to nearly 2 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on interference in the parliamentary elections. On election day alone, the Central Electoral Commission faced almost one billion malicious requests as part of a cyberattack intended to disable our electoral systems. Our institutions withstood the attack, and the citizens of Moldova responded through their vote,” Maia Sandu said.

In the energy sector, the head of state emphasized that Moldova had eliminated its dependence on Russian gas and was expanding its capacity to produce energy from renewable sources.

The two presidents also highlighted the importance of Moldova’s accession to the EU for regional security. Maia Sandu said that a European Moldova would strengthen Ukraine’s southwestern flank and the stability of the European Union’s eastern border.

“Our accession strengthens the security of both Ukraine and the European Union. A European Moldova secures Ukraine’s southwestern flank and strengthens stability along the EU’s eastern border. A Moldova under the Kremlin’s control would make Ukraine more vulnerable. That is why, the resilience of Moldova matters to all of Europe and also depends on our progress toward membership in the European Union. (...) Enlargement is one of the smartest investments in security that Europe can make. As you said at the United Nations, Mr. President, small nations need cooperation to survive. For Moldova, this cooperation means joining the European Union,” the head of state said.

President Maia Sandu is paying an official visit to Finland, where she is discussing bilateral cooperation, European security and support for Moldova’s European path with the authorities in Helsinki. Maia Sandu and Alexander Stubb will open the Helsinki Security Forum 2026, organized by the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.