An aggressive, large-scale and unprovoked war has been taking place near the borders of the Republic of Moldova, waged by the Russian Federation against neighboring Ukraine. There are risks that this war will turn into a large-scale armed conflict. Centuries-old history has taught us that big wars begin with aggression against small and weaker countries and end with territorial limitations and/or the division of spheres of influence between strong countries, to the detriment of the same small and weak states. How can small countries avoid such a fate in the 21st century, who can help them avoid such a fate this time, but also how can they help each other were among the issues discussed by participants in IPN’s public debate “How can small countries defend themselves?”.
The permanent expert of IPN’s project Igor Boţan noted that an independent state is a state that has political independence, is sovereign, is not subordinated and is not dependent on other countries. “State security is a component of independence, characterized by the degree of protection against internal and external dangers based on the analysis of political, economic, social, military and legal processes in order to prevent and eliminate anti-state and subversive campaigns by the intelligence services of states with aggressive intentions, as well as those who oppose the internal order of the state,” said the expert.
According to Igor Boţan, neutrality is the position of a state that does not take part in wars between other powers, and in peacetime refuses to be part of or join military blocs. The international law of neutrality contains three restrictions on the actions of neutral states and countries during a war between other states. It goes to refraining from involvement with one’s own armed forces in the conflict of other parties, refraining from making one’s own territory available to a belligerent party, offering the country’s territory for use by the parties to the conflict (transit, flight, etc.) and not discriminating against any of the parties by supplying weapons and military goods.
Igor Boţan, said that the European Union is a political and economic union made up of 27 European states. The EU is based on a set of principles that the Member States are obliged to respect. These include respect for human rights and freedoms, equality before the law, ensuring a free market economy, etc.
“NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – is a political-military alliance that brings together most of the countries in Europe, including Turkey, but also the U.S. and Canada. It was founded on April 4, 1949 with the aim of protecting Europe from the possible threat of Soviet expansion. NATO is a “transatlantic forum” in which allied countries can consult on any issue that affects the vital interests of its members, including events that could threaten them. One of NATO’s stated objectives is to deter and defend against aggression or attack on the territory of any NATO member state. After the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, NATO expanded. Two states known for their neutrality – Finland and Sweden – have joined NATO. Finland in 2023, and Sweden – in 2024,” explained the project’s expert.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to the Republic of Moldova Edgars Bondars, who took up his duties in the Republic of Moldova almost a year ago, said that the Moldovan-Latvian relations are very good, even intense. There are numerous visits, including at the level of the countries’ leadership, there are joint events, etc.
According to the official, Latvia and Moldova are two not very large states, which have a lot in common in their history. A relevant example is 1940, then the period of Soviet occupation, but also 1991, when Latvia renewed its independence, and Moldova gained independence as a new republic. Currently, Latvia has an area of 64,000 square kilometers, while Moldova – an area of about 33,000 square kilometers. Latvia’s population is less than 2 million, while Moldova’s is over 2 million. Both countries have diasporas in European countries and beyond, including overseas.
“Looking at how our states have developed, I see that Moldova and Latvia have many similar things and lines. Now Moldova wants to join the European Union, and Latvia can share its experience. And not only positive experiences, but also experiences that can be prevented. It’s a hard path, but it’s much easier to walk it if you have a friend by your side who helps you, gives you good advice. We are ready to share our experience, along with other states that have had a similar experience. I’m also referring to the other Baltic states – Lithuania and Estonia – which know that it also helps a lot, but also to many other states,” noted Edgars Bondars.
In his opinion, the Republic of Moldova is an absolutely European state, but taking into account some historical circumstances, the current situation was reached. “30 years has been a complicated period, but now that the objective of accession to the European Union has been set – this fact offers very good prospects for Moldova on different levels, which is welcome,” said the Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the Republic of Moldova.
The public debate entitled “How can small countries defend themselves?” was is the 311th installment of the series “Developing political culture through public debates”, which is carried out by IPN News Agency with the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
