The support offered by NATO to the efforts to ensure peace and stability in the world and the region is highly appreciated by the Republic of Moldova, which is turning into a state that contributes to international security, National Army commander, brigade general Eduard Ohladchuk stated in a news conference held jointly with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Robert Bauer. According to the commander, since 1994, the Republic of Moldova has had a constant dialogue with NATO within the Partnership for Peace Program and has a nice cooperation story, IPN reports.

Eduard Ohladchuk noted that the development of defense capacities and the transformation of the National Army into a modern institution adjusted to the international standards, which is able to offer security to the Moldovan citizens, are the Moldovan administration’s objectives. The authorities highly appreciate NATO’s significant support in this regard, including through different forms of training in schools and centers of excellence, exercises staged in concert with militaries of NATO member and partner states and the expertise provided in the drafting of defense policy documents.

Eduard Ohladchuk welcomed NATO’s assistance in implementing the Partnership for Peace Program to dispose of pesticides and chemicals in Moldova, which was completed in 2018.

“Today, in the dialogue I had with Admiral Robert Bauer, I noted our country’s contribution to regional security by the participation in 2014 of 18 contingents of Moldovan peacekeepers in the NATO-led International Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo and thanked for the continuous assistance offered by the Alliance in training Moldovan peacekeepers for such missions,” stated the National Army’s commander.

For his part, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee Robert Bauer said that Russia’s war against Ukraine fundamentally changed the global security environment and affected the Republic of Moldova’s sovereignty. NATO respects the constitutional neutrality of the Republic of Moldova. There are things that are much more powerful than the physical weapons, such as freedom, democracy, the law and the right of each nation to decide the own destiny. Moldova also firmly believes in these principles.

A delegation led by Admiral Robert Bauer is paying an official visit to Chisinau during May 15-17.

Formed in 1949 with the signing of the Washington Treaty, NATO is a security alliance of 31 countries from North America and Europe.