President at Coalition of Willing meeting: Ukraine’s security - Moldova’s security

President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu took part on Monday in a meeting of the Coalition of Willing. The Coalition of Willing is a group of 37 states, mostly European, that have joined efforts to support Ukraine in reaching a ceasefire and, subsequently, a just peace, while preventing a new act of aggression. This diplomatic platform is co-chaired by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, and the Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, and convenes in the presence of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. This is the first time the Republic of Moldova has participated in a Coalition meeting.

Maia Sandu emphasized that Moldova’s presence in the Coalition is a natural step, a continuation of the support provided to Ukraine since the first days of the war: “We share with Ukraine a 1,222-kilometer border. Some of Ukraine’s borders are front lines. Others are used to launch attacks. Ours is a friendly border — a strategic advantage for Ukraine and for this coalition.”

Referring to immediate priorities, the head of state advocated for strengthening the support given to Ukraine: “Ukraine needs more support, and first of all, air defense. And more economic pressure on Russia — so that it is deprived of the means to wage war. Both will bring peace closer.”

On the sidelines of the meeting, Maia Sandu held bilateral discussions with several leaders, including the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Friedrich Merz, and the Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, Christian Stocker.

The participation of the Republic of Moldova in the Coalition of Willing is fully compatible with the neutrality status enshrined in the Constitution — the Coalition also includes other neutral states, such as Austria and Ireland.