Moldova Signs Defense Pact With France Amid Threats from Russia

Moldovan President Maia Sandu signed a defense pact on Thursday alongside French President Emmanuel Macron amid threats from Russia.

The two European nations agreed to boost military cooperation as Russian forces are currently stationed in the breakaway Transnistria region. The defense pact seeks to send a powerful message that Moldova is "becoming stronger" alongside France.

Moldova Signs Defense Pact With France

Sandu said that with the French government's support, they know they are not alone. The Moldovan president traveled to Paris after attending the European People's Party congress in Bucharest, Romania.

Macron, speaking alongside Sandy, said that Moldova's democratic reality and aspirations for a European future represent a challenge for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He argued that this was because it developed another model on Moscow's doorsteps.

Recently, France has increasingly sought to bolster its presence in nations that Russia considers part of its sphere of influence. Paris struck new defense deals last month with Armenia, another small democracy that is trying to distance itself from Moscow, according to Politico.

Now, the French government is trying to make Moldova a higher priority for the West as the nation is specifically mentioned in the deliverables following an international leaders' summit that was summoned by Macron in February earlier this year.

Tensions between Moldova and Moscow have significantly increased recently as the former is set to start negotiations to join the European Union. Putin said earlier this week that he would support Moldova's autonomous region of Gagauzia after meeting the pro-Moscow leader of the territory.

Transnistria authorities called on Moscow last month to "protect" it against "pressure" from Moldova. On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was open to providing needed assistance. However, he noted that they still prefer to settle all issues by means of political dialogue.

Threats From Russia

During the signing of the defense pact, Sandy said that if the aggressor is not stopped, he will continue moving forward, and the front line will keep moving closer. She argued that Europe must therefore present a united front, said Reuters.

Moscow officials argue that the invasion of Ukraine was forced two years ago so that they could protect against aggression and threats from the NATO military alliance. It added that claims of further territorial ambitions are unfounded and are only scaremongering by the West.

The latest defense deal sets the legal framework for future training, regular dialogue, and intelligence sharing between France and Moldova. By the summer, a French defense mission will open in Moldova's capital, Chisinau. It would help assess needs; talks have already started on potential weapons contracts.

In a joint statement, officials said that the Moldovan state must be able to defend its neutrality, territory, and population and should also contribute to regional and international security.

The two presidents said that Paris was fully "backing Moldova's reforms that seek to bring it into the EU one day. They added that justice reform and the battle against corruption are crucial factors to a successful membership bid, according to France24.