The integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European security space should be analyzed separately from the subject of NATO accession. This opinion belongs to the political scientist Dionis Cenusa and was expressed during the public debate “Neutrality and the defense capacity of the citizen and the state”, organized by the IPN Press Agency. According to the expert, any discussion about the Republic of Moldova’s approach to NATO should be viewed through the prism of societal perception, which remains largely reticent towards the North Atlantic Alliance.

The political scientist argues that the Republic of Moldova must follow the developments of European security architecture and take into account Ukraine’s trajectory, however, avoiding to promote the subject of NATO membership, which does not enjoy the support of the population.

“If the Republic of Moldova decides to integrate into the European security space, I would abstain from NATO. Because we have public opinion that is against any association with this alliance. But the Republic of Moldova will depend a lot on how Ukraine integrates into the European security system,” explained the political scientist, associate expert of the Center for Eastern European Studies, Dionis Cenusa.

He explained that the war in Ukraine has strengthened the position of the Republic of Moldova internationally, facilitating access to external support. However, the authorities have not fully capitalized on the economic opportunities generated by the new regional context, says the expert.

“The Republic of Moldova has managed to cement its international status as an ally of the European forces that respect international law. Geopolitically, the Republic of Moldova has gained many benefits with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, becoming more respected and more easily obtaining external assistance in the field of defense. However, financially, the war has opened windows of opportunity that the Republic of Moldova has not capitalized on. We have not seen figures for how many Ukrainians have remained in the Republic of Moldova and opened businesses,” explained Dionis Cenusa.

Referring to the support provided by the European Union for strengthening defense capabilities, the political scientist emphasized the role of the European Peace Facility (EPF), which has become the main mechanism through which the Republic of Moldova benefits from funding for the modernization of the army.

“In the field of defense, the Republic of Moldova has benefited the most within the Framework of the Peace Instrument. When the aggression against Ukraine began, Brussels made an exception for this instrument to be used for other objectives than those previously announced. Now the money can be used for the modernization of the army. It is still unclear whether the EU can use this instrument for offensive weapons or ammunition, so far it has focused on defensive equipment, that is, for defense. But this can change, depending on what happens in Ukraine,” the political scientist pointed out.

The public debate “Neutrality and the defense capacity of the citizen and the state” is the 354th edition of debates in the series “Developing political culture in public debates”. The IPN Agency carries out this series of debates with the support of the German Hanns Seidel Foundation.