EU to significantly expand defense assistance to Moldova

It is the duty of Europeans to be of assistance to Moldova, said the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, at a meeting with President Maia Sandu in Chisinau. He did not name the details of the military assistance. The European Union will expand defense assistance to Moldova. "This year we want to significantly increase our support for Moldova and provide additional military equipment to this country's armed forces," European Council President Charles Michel said during a visit to Chisinau on Wednesday, May 4. "It is our European duty to be of help and support to your country," the European Council president said in a meeting with Moldovan President Maia Sandu. He promised to further deepen partnership with the state and foster integration. According to Michel, the European Union will step up support "in the field of logistics and cyber defense," while making efforts to enhance Moldova's military capacities. He did not name the details of this plan. For her part, Sandu said at a joint press conference that her country is bracing for "pessimistic scenarios." "But at this point we do not see any imminent danger," she added. Situation in Transdniestria escalated at the end of April The situation in the self-proclaimed " Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic" (PMR), a pro-Russian separatist region, escalated in late April. After several explosions at military facilities and on the territory of the TV and radio center, the "PMR" authorities declared a red level of terrorist threat. On April 22, representatives of the Russian military command said that there were plans to establish control over southern Ukraine as part of the "second phase of a special operation" to provide access to Transdniestria. Approximately 460,000 people live in Transdniestria, which borders Ukraine, and almost half of them have Russian citizenship. A Russian peacekeeping contingent has been on the territory of the self-proclaimed republic since 1992, currently numbering about 1,500 servicemen. DW