Last week, European Union leaders met in an emergency summit in Brussels to adopt key measures to strengthen European defense against external threats. This meeting would mark a turning point in EU defense policy, focusing on increased defense investments, accelerating strategic autonomy while maintaining NATO cooperation and enhancing military and economic support for Ukraine. The public debate “Europe’s Security at a Historic Crossroads” explored the need for this shift and Moldova’s place in the evolving security landscape. Where Does Moldova Stand?” organized by IPN News Agency.
Project expert Igor Botan explained that the EU, comprising 27 member states, is home to approximately 450 million people. The European Council, made up of heads of state or government, the European Commission president, and the European Council president (currently António Costa), sets the EU’s general policy direction.
Botan noted that the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) is integral to its foreign and security policies, enabling member states to develop a joint security strategy, address conflicts, and protect the Union and its citizens. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Europe has faced a geopolitical reset, driving momentum toward a European defense union.
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Vladislav Kulminski, executive director of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives and former deputy prime minister for reintegration, highlighted that defense spending discussions and expansion are longstanding. After WWII, the Transatlantic Alliance between the U.S. and Western Europe facilitated economic recovery and security, leading to NATO’s creation in 1949. The U.S. covered much of Europe’s defense costs, enabling EU development under this security umbrella. However, Russia’s war in Ukraine has reignited security concerns, prompting the EU to increase defense spending and reassess its role.
For Moldova, all options remain open. Kulminski emphasized that Moldova has a unique political opportunity to define its future—whether aligning with the EU in this geopolitical shift or returning to Russia’s sphere of influence.
Foreign and security policy analyst Mihai Isac noted that pre-Cold War Western European states, such as Germany, France, and Italy, had strong military industries and large national armies. Eastern European nations, including Romania and Poland, significantly downsized their armed forces post-1989, with Romania ending mandatory military service in 2007. It has affected mobilization capacity, prompting recent efforts to rebuild territorial defense structures.
Isac stressed that the EU must leverage its economic and political power for security. Lack of defense collaboration among EU states results in billions of euros in lost efficiency, highlighting the need for joint procurement programs to reduce costs.
The debate “Europe’s Security at a Historic Crossroads. Where Does Moldova Stand?” was organized as part of the “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” series, supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.