Moldovan foreign affairs minister says constitutional neutrality must not be impediment to strengthening country’s defense capabilities

The constitutional neutrality must not be an impediment to strengthening the country’s defense capabilities. Moldova must make use of opportunities for cooperation with the European Union in the field of security. In recent years, the support provided through the European Peace Facility (EPF) has increased from 7 million euros in 2021 to 120 million euros in 2026. Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister Mihai Popsoi has made statements to this effect during the annual conference on European Union enlargement, held today in Chisinau.

According to the official, in recent years, the EPF has provided transformational support to the security and defense sector.

“The amounts granted are colossal for the defense budget of Moldova, a sector that was neglected for decades. Given the horrors Ukraine has been going through for almost five years and their repercussions on the entire region, we must understand that a neutral country must invest more in its own defense than other states that have the peace, security and luxury of belonging to a collective defense alliance. Within the great European family, security cooperation, the strengthening of the defense industry and the development of logistical networks are mechanisms that Moldova wants to be part of. We must understand that neutrality does not mean being incapable of defending yourself. Nor does it represent an obstacle to strengthening defense capabilities and making investments in the field of defense, which we are making and will continue to make,” Mihai Popsoi said.

The minister emphasized that, in addition to the EPF, the European Union also supported programmes in the civilian sector, which play an important role in strengthening societal security.

“I am referring to the European Union Partnership Mission in Moldova. This mission has helped us enormously to strengthen our capabilities in the field of information security and crisis management. The Crisis Management Center and the strengthening of its capabilities are part of our accession commitments. Therefore, the existing cooperation mechanism, which is continuously developing, represents a major opportunity for Moldova to strengthen its defense and security sector, as well as society’s resilience as a whole. A state can succeed, only if every citizen and institution contributes to defending society against foreign interference. Our citizens have become aware of the danger to which we are exposed and, every time, we have proved our ability to defend our democratic choices, our right to choose our own destiny and to continue efforts to enhance the resilience of our society. This undoubtedly demonstrates our internal capacity to respond to these challenges, but it is also the result of substantial EU support,” Mihai Popsoi added.

For his part, Stanislav Secrieru, the president’s chief adviser on defense and national security, noted that, under the UN Charter, every independent and sovereign state has the right to self-defense; however, in order to exercise this right, it must have the necessary means.

“At present, we notice that, in the European Union, some states are investing in defense and increasing their military budgets. At the same time, neutral countries also contribute to the EPF, from which Moldova benefits through defense resources. Therefore, being neutral does not mean being passive, indifferent or failing to take care of one’s own defense capabilities. Threats in the air domain are evolving every two or three weeks. Modernizing airspace surveillance capabilities is a lengthy process, as drones flying at low altitudes require specialized radars. Moreover, even if Moldova had the financial resources, the delivery of equipment would not be immediate, as manufacturers are prioritizing orders for Ukraine, where the situation is more serious. Another challenge concerns training and retaining in service specialists capable of operating increasingly sophisticated equipment,” Stanislav Secrieru said.

A 120-million-euros-worth assistance package is being provided by the European Union through the European Peace Facility (EPF) and is meant to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities. Moldova is the second-largest beneficiary of EU assistance provided through the EPF, after Ukraine. Thus, the total support provided to the country amounts to 317 million euros for the period 2021–2026.