Moldova will be able to buy gas through the European Union’s common purchase platform that has been announced on March 25 by the European Council among other measures aimed at diminishing European dependence on Russian gas.

Besides Moldova, the platform will be open to two other EU associate members: Ukraine and Georgia.

EU leaders agreed that member states would work together on voluntary common purchase of gas, LNG and hydrogen. “We will join forces, pool our demand and use our collective bargaining power when purchasing gas,” wrote European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Twitter.

The Moldovan authorities welcomed the decision.

“Once established, the new platform will be available to both the Western Balkan states and the three countries associated with the European Union, including the Republic of Moldova. It is an important achievement for our country that will facilitate the purchase of natural gas in the future. At the same time, Moldova will continue its efforts to increase resilience in the energy sector, with an emphasis on diversifying energy sources and increasing energy efficiency”, the Moldovan authorities said in a statement.