EU to Spend Another 41 Million Euros on Moldova’s Defense

EU ambassadors have approved Moldova’s request for defense assistance, providing equipment worth 41 million euros over the next three years and four months. According to the document studied by Europa Libera, Moldova will be able to buy military equipment, air surveillance equipment, electronic warfare equipment and logistics equipment. The document also states that this assistance is provided upon a request submitted by Moldova on 5 February this year and that it will consist of non-lethal military equipment. This would help the candidate country to join the European Union, strengthen its defense capabilities, move closer to EU standards in this area and participate in EU missions and operations. The decision has yet to be confirmed at a future EU defense or foreign ministers’ council, and Europa Libera's sources say this is a mere formality. This news came shortly after France, having signed a security agreement with Moldova on 7 March, promised to increase defense assistance to Chisinau, including by sending a military attaché. Late last year, Moldova purchased an airspace monitoring system from French company Thales for 14 million euros. The new European aid for Moldova’s defense will come a year after a similar €40 million aid approved by the European Council in May 2023. The funds are planned to be spent over three years and will be used for “non-lethal equipment, materials and services for the armed forces of the Republic of Moldova, including technical training, upon request”. Earlier, in June 2022, months after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU approved a further €40 million in military aid, in addition to the €7 million approved before the invasion, on 7 December 2021.