Moldova and the EU are set to deepen their defense co-operation to unprecedented levels, as Chisinau defies warnings from Moscow that closer western integration could see it face Ukraine’s fate, IPN reports, with reference to the Financial Times.

The quoted source says that under an EU proposal, set to be agreed next week, Moldova would increase its intelligence sharing, carry out joint military exercises and be included in the bloc’s joint weapons procurement — measures that would constitute the deepest formal step to link its national defense to western partners. The country’s constitution proclaims “permanent neutrality” and rules out membership of NATO.

The proposed “security and defense partnership” with Brussels comes despite Russian officials’ repeated warnings that Moldova could face the same fate as Ukraine if it aligns with the west.

The Financial Times reminds that Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in March said Brussels had offered Moldova the same ultimatum as Ukraine, which he described as “either us or Russia”. He said Moscow would “defend” the ethnic Russian population in Moldova and that Chisinau risked “following in the footsteps of the regime in Kyiv”.

The partnership would seek to increase co-operation between Moldovan and European agencies to defend against foreign manipulation, cyber and terrorist threats, the document said. “This is a confirmation of the increased integration of Moldova’s security and defense stance with the EU,” said an official involved in the negotiations over the bloc’s agreement, being quoted by the Financial Times.

The agreement will cover such areas as EU assistance in building Moldova’s resilience, defense sector assistance through the European Peace Facility, Moldova’s participation in EU crisis management missions, joint border management, ensuring cybersecurity and countering disinformation. Cooperation in most of these areas is already taking place between Moldova and the EU.