The Republic of Moldova plays a far more significant role in the Black Sea region than its geographical size might suggest. The statement was made by Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı, Director of the South and Wider Europe Programme and Regional Director for Türkiye at the German Marshall Fund (GMF).
In an interview with PISA, Ünlühisarcıklı said Moldova holds an important strategic position and has played a significant role during Russia’s war against Ukraine. In his view, had Moldova moved closer to Russia earlier, it would have been much more difficult for Ukraine to protect its borders.
“It is a country on the path towards European Union membership. If this happens and Moldova achieves economic, political and social success, it will certainly become an example for other countries in the region.
“Georgia should have been the country setting such an example, but the process was never completed. I believe mistakes were made, both by Georgia and by the European Union.
“Let us hope that the Republic of Moldova’s accession process will indeed be more successful. In this regard, the more successful we are in the European integration process, the more attacks exploiting our vulnerabilities we can expect,” Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı said.
The GMF regional director also believes that relations between Türkiye and the Republic of Moldova are maintained through political engagement. He noted that Ankara supports Moldova’s territorial integrity and encourages the population of Gagauzia to do the same.
The full interview is available in the accompanying video.