The visit of Mircea Geoana, the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, to Chisinau from September 13th to 15th, regarding NATO’s contribution to Moldova, has been a highly successful appointment.
“We engaged in fruitful discussions on reinforcing our partnership, our unwavering commitment to enhancing security efforts and international peacekeeping operations, as well as the progress of our ongoing reforms,” said Dorin Recean, Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova.
During this visit, Maia Sandu, the President of Moldova, expressed her gratitude for NATO’s support on Moldovan territory. “As Moldova is building its defenses and resilience, we join forces with trusted partners to safeguard our citizens from hybrid threats and the risks from the war next door,” stated Maia Sandu.
Mircea Geoana emphasized that NATO does not perceive any military risks from Russia in Moldova. He also assured that NATO is fully aware of the challenges posed by the conflict in the neighboring region and is committed to ensuring Moldova’s safety and support, particularly in the face of hybrid dangers that Moldova is exposed to.
“We require NATO’s expertise and assistance to enhance our capacity to respond to hybrid dangers, disinformation, and cyber risks, as well as to strengthen our existing cooperation with NATO,” noted Maia Sandu.
NATO has pledged to assist in enhancing Moldova’s resilience and defense capacity, maintain the mutual cooperation relationship, and support Moldova’s path towards the European Union.”
The President of the Parliament, Igor Grosu, also had a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoană. The officials discussed the legislative agenda for this autumn, in which both national security and energy security are among the priorities.
“The security of the Republic of Moldova is a priority, and we will do everything in our power to protect our citizens,” said Igor Grosu.
The legislative leader thanked NATO’s Deputy Secretary-General for the support provided to our country in recent years, emphasizing that the Republic of Moldova was discussed for the first time in the NATO Summit Declaration in Vilnius on July 11, 2023, where the country’s sovereign right to choose its development model and foreign policy course without external interference was highlighted.
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The cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and the North Atlantic Alliance in the defense dimension was one of the topics discussed during the meeting between Secretary of State Valeriu Mija and the Commander of the National Army, Brigadier General Eduard Ohladciuc, with NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoană.
During the meeting, the officials referred to joint assistance projects aimed at modernizing the National Army carried out by NATO over time, including within the Defense Capacity Building Initiative (DCBI), to which our country acceded in 2014.
In this regard, Valeriu Mija mentioned that the DCB support initiative remains a priority and a vital instrument in the context of the Republic of Moldova-NATO Partnership.
The official expressed gratitude to the member and allied countries for their support in approving an enhanced assistance package in February of this year, which includes intensifying cooperation to strengthen national resilience against new challenges and hybrid threats.
During the dialogue, the parties also discussed the security situation in the region and the effects of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the strategic goals of the Ministry of Defense, and the actions taken in the context of defense sector reform, including with the support of external partners and international organizations.
Mircea Geoană, in turn, appreciated the contribution of the National Army to global peace and stability efforts through the deployment of Moldovan soldiers in international operations, such as KFOR in Kosovo.
Furthermore, the official mentioned that the Alliance will continue to support our country in its efforts to modernize its defense capabilities, especially in the current security context.