Moldova to Sign a Defense Partnership Agreement with the EU. What Do Experts Say?

Moldova plans to sign a security and defense partnership agreement with the EU next week. The document indicates that the EU will commit to strengthening Moldova’s capabilities not only in terms of defense against cyber-attacks and disinformation, but also in terms of military capabilities. Experts say the agreement will not affect the neutral status and sovereignty of the Republic. Information about the plans to sign the agreement next week first appeared in the foreign press, then the Moldovan Foreign Ministry made clarifications. “In fact, the partnership will function as an umbrella agreement for all kinds of interaction between Moldova and the EU. In particular, areas such as EU assistance to increase our country’s resilience, cyber security, fighting disinformation, assistance to the defense sector through the European Peace Facility. Moldova will participate in the EU crisis management and integrated management missions,” the Foreign Ministry stated. According to the ministry, the document will not have the status of an international treaty, but is based only on political commitments. The European Union is now in the process of establishing such a partnership with countries with which an advanced level of cooperation has been achieved. At the same time, foreign mass media reported that according to the document, Moldova will increase the exchange of information, will hold joint military exercises and will be included in joint arms purchases. Our country will be integrated into initiatives related to the European defense industry and EU defense missions. However, the Foreign Ministry did not confirm this information to our journalists. In an interview with TV8, the ministry said only that the final text of the document has not been approved yet and that more detailed information will be publicly available only after the document is signed. At the same time, security experts believe that the document will improve bilateral cooperation between Moldova and the EU. “We can talk specifically about participation in joint military exercises and exchange of information, which is crucial for Moldova, also - about fighting disinformation, responding to cyber-attacks and terrorism. About Moldova’s participation in the European Platform for Arms Procurement, which will allow us to modernize our weapons,” said Andrei Curararu, security expert, Watchdog. According to experts, the signing of this document will not affect the neutral status of our country. It is clear that this treaty does not provide for military intervention or additional security guarantees, but it increases the potential that Moldova will have to deal with, especially with regard to hybrid warfare. “Public media environment is already full of disinformation that Moldova will hand over all the information obtained by the intelligence services to the European Union or cede part of its sovereignty. It is far from the truth. In fact, we are witnessing that the EU wants to help us strengthen our defense capacity, which is what we have today,” Curararu added. Moldova signed a bilateral defense agreement with France in March this year.