March 28. 2024. 11:46

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In Moldova, Europe’s leaders strive to send message of unity towards Russia


European security is expected to loom large as 48 European leaders gather in Moldova on Thursday (1 June) for a summit staged as a show of diplomatic force vis-à-vis Russia.

The European Political Community (EPC), which groups 27 EU members with 40 other countries, but without Russia and Belarus, chose Ukraine’s neighbour Moldova for the venue of their second gathering.

With heavy security and Moldovan skies protected by NATO’s AWACS surveillance aircraft, the summit signals the vulnerability of Moldova.

Held in a castle deep in Moldovan wine country, but only 20 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, the gathering is also intended to show support for the country that obtained EU candidate status alongside Ukraine after Russia invaded in February 2022.

Russia’s invasion sent streams of Ukrainian refugees into Moldova, hitting the country’s economy, already one of Europe’s weakest.

Missile debris from the war in Ukraine has been found in Moldova several times since Russia invaded 15 months ago.

NATO said it’s Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) surveillance aircraft would watch the skies over the summit venue through Friday.

“NATO AWACS can detect aircraft, missiles and drones hundreds of kilometres away, making them an important early warning capability,” NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said.

Focus on Moldova

Less than an hour’s drive from the Russian-backed breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria and not much further from war-torn Ukraine, the very fact of the presence of so many leaders is intended to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The summit host, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, said on Wednesday (31 June) the meeting hosted by her country would send an unwavering message of peace and condemnation of Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

This second meeting of the European Political Community would be “proof of the growing unity on the continent,” Sandu told reporters in Chișinău, standing alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

“This event is a strong confirmation of our unwavering commitment to peace, a firm condemnation of the Russian invasion, constant solidarity with Ukraine and a demonstration of support for Moldova,” Sandu said.

Moldova’s pro-Western government accused Moscow of plotting a coup earlier this year.

Moldova’s president warns Russia plans coup d’etat in the country

Moldova’s President Maia Sandu accused Russia on Monday (13 February) of planning to use foreign saboteurs to bring down her country’s leadership, stop it from joining the EU, and instrumentalise it in the war against Ukraine.

Sandu’s comments come only days …

Russia has had troops permanently based in Transnistria since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Kyiv fears the region could be used as a launch pad for new attacks on Ukraine.

Moldova’s Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu told reporters on the eve of the summit that Russia had done its best for 30 years to support separatism in Transnistria, illegally maintain troops there, and impose embargoes on Moldovan exports.

“These actions and policies of Russia towards Moldova have failed – Moldova has chosen the path of EU integration,” he said.

Security centre-stage

With the number of leaders and size of delegations, not much time has been set aside for general discussions, but diplomats hope bilateral meetings will deal with practical issues.

An unexpected guest in Chișinău could be Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was invited but whose travel plans are never announced in advance for security reasons.

The EPC gathering comes as NATO foreign ministers, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meet in Oslo to discuss the agenda of the alliance’s next summit.

The NATO summit in Vilnius on 11 July will debate how formal a promise to give Kyiv as to how and when to join the alliance, but in the interim, Europe is debating what security guarantees Ukraine and other countries at Russia’s borders could receive.

Unlike Ukraine, Moldova is not aspiring for NATO membership.

A day before the Chișinău summit, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Western allies should find a way to offer “tangible and credible security guarantees to Ukraine” while the eventual questions of EU and NATO membership are pending.

Macron woos Europe’s East but stays vague on Ukraine security guarantees

French President Emmanuel Macron sought to endear himself to Eastern Europeans on Wednesday (31 May) but repeated warnings that the bloc has been too reliant in defence matters on Washington and remained ambiguous about what security assurances the West could offer to Ukraine.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose country left the EU but remains in NATO, said “Putin’s utter contempt of other countries’ sovereignty” showed the need for unity.

“We cannot address these problems without Europe’s governments and institutions working closely together.”

Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will convene a meeting between Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pachinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

Yerevan and Baku have fought for decades over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh but have both been invited to the EPC as Washington and Brussels push for a peace deal.

At the same time, crisis diplomacy between Serbia and Kosovo will be on the agenda too, with leaders from Pristina and Belgrade under pressure to dial down tensions and meet on the sidelines.

NATO member Turkey’s newly re-elected President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is preparing for his formal inauguration and is not expected to attend.

EU support and equipment

Sandu said her country also plans to use the summit to showcase reforms and convince leaders to open EU accession talks as soon as possible.

Von der Leyen said Moldova was making clear progress as it seeks EU membership.

“It is amazing to see that despite all the pressure, Moldova is advancing rapidly and with great quality,” she said.

The EU, she added, will “significantly increase” its delegation in Chișinău to support further reforms.

In a separate event, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell together with his counterpart Popescu and Moldova’s Interior Minister Ana Revenco officially launched the EU’s civilian partnership mission (EUPM) in the country to help Chișinău fend off foreign interference and hybrid threats.

The mission is expected to increase its staff from initially 15 to 30 in the coming weeks.

EU agrees to deploy Moldova mission to counter foreign interference

EU foreign ministers approved on Monday the launch of a new civilian mission to be deployed in Moldova to help Chișinău face foreign interference and hybrid threats.

“We know there is dissatisfaction from the Russian Federation towards Moldova, that is why we try to support you, that is why we try to support you with this civilian mission and by providing non-lethal equipment to your armed forces,” Borrell said in Chișinău.

“And among them, there are radars that can scrutinise what is happening in the sky and detect any attempt to attack you,” he added.

The EU imposed on Tuesday (30 May) the first set of sanctions under a new regime on seven people from Moldova for actions it said destabilised and undermined the country’s territorial integrity.

Read more with EURACTIV

Macron woos Europe’s East but stays vague on Ukraine security guarantees

Macron woos Europe’s East but stays vague on Ukraine security guarantees

French President Emmanuel Macron sought to endear himself to Eastern Europeans on Wednesday (31 May) but repeated warnings that the bloc has been too reliant in defence matters on Washington and remained ambiguous about what security assurances the West could offer to Ukraine.