On a visit to Chisinau, the NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană referred to the recent incidents on Romania’s territory, near the border with Ukraine, where pieces of a drone similar to those used by the Russian army were discovered, emphasizing that these belong to the category of incidents, not deliberate attacks. He admitted that such situations might occur again but underlined that there is no information according to which Russia would deliberately attack allied territory, and NATO continues to take measures to strengthen the protection of allied territory, including that of Romania. We are in permanent contact with our Romanian ally – said Mircea Geoană – recalling that the Secretary General of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, recently had a telephone conversation with President Klaus Iohannis on this subject. As regards the Republic of Moldova, the NATO official said that its place is in Europe „next to the family of Western democracies”.
He added that, although there is no military risk threatening this state, it is still subject to a hybrid war, caused by Russia, from the use of the energy weapon to cyber-attacks, to disinformation, influencing democratic mechanisms, inciting to social rebellion. Mircea Geoană said that the neighboring Ukraine, which is resisting Russia, is currently also defending the Republic of Moldova from direct military attacks.
Mircea Geoana: „I want to reconfirm here, in Chisinau, the fact that we do not see a military risk from the Russian Federation towards the Republic of Moldova, for the simple fact that Ukraine is doing such a good job with our support too, so this military risk at the moment and for the foreseeable future is not here. This does not mean that the Russian Federation has not launched and continues using, as we speak, everything that means the arsenal of the hybrid war against the Republic of Moldova, from the use of the energy weapon to cyber-attacks, disinformation, influencing democratic mechanisms, instigating to social rebellion. And for us it is very important to strengthen the resilience of the Republic of Moldova, while respecting the neutrality of this country”.
In his turn, the Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean emphasized that Russia’s war in Ukraine has greatly changed the perception of security in Europe and the world. He mentioned that many states understood that they need a developed defense sector and Chisinau’s priority now is to have an army in line with the NATO standards.
It is necessary to strengthen the defense capacity, especially through investments in the army, insisted Dorin Recean: „Moldova’s neutrality does not mean indifference, does not mean that we’re doing nothing. That’s why we have to strengthen our defense capacity, that’s why we have to make these investments in the national army, in such a way that we have the national army in line with the NATO standards and, obviously, we will have the support of our partners in this sense”.
Dorin Recean added that the Republic of Moldova will participate in the NATO programs on new technologies and innovations. (Daniela Busu, Radio Romania International)
