Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană met Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita at NATO Headquarters on Tuesday (7 February 2023), underscoring NATO's commitment to deepening its partnership with the Republic of Moldova, with full respect for its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Mr. Geoană thanked Moldova for its contribution to NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and its continued efforts to reform and modernise its armed forces. He further welcomed Moldova's condemnation of Russia's war in Ukraine and its assistance to Ukrainian refugees, despite economic pressure and threats from Moscow. He added that Russia's brutal invasion has "led Allies and partners to review and reinforce their security and defence policies". The Deputy Secretary General also thanked the Prime Minister for Moldova's offer, "through NATO, to provide search and rescue personnel to our Ally Türkiye, in the aftermath of yesterday's tragic earthquakes."
At the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, NATO Allies agreed to step up their support to help Moldova strengthen its resilience and civil preparedness. This comes on top of years of NATO support in areas like destroying dangerous pesticides, improving cyber defences, and enhancing good governance in the armed forces. Mr. Geoană noted that tailored support for Moldova will be on the agenda when NATO Defence Ministers meet in Brussels later in February.
