There is an intensification of the relations between the Republic of Moldova and NATO and the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicu Popescu at the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Bucharest and at the NATO Summit in Vilnius confirms this, said the executive director of the Platform for Security and Defense Initiatives Natalia Albu. According to her, for Moldova to come closer to the North-Atlantic Alliance, it must enjoy the support of the population, civil society and political decision makers of the country, IPN reports.
The expert noted that the Vilnius Summit of July 11-12 was an important and special one. It was held in a broader format as the allied states and also the partner states were invited to it. Also, the event was marked by the major assistance package offered by NATO to Ukraine and by Turkey’s consent to welcome Sweden into NATO. The Republic of Moldova also enjoyed attention from NATO, through the Alliance’s trenchant message regarding the withdrawal of the forces stationed illegally in the Transnistrian region.
“There is an intensification of the relations between the Republic of Moldova and NATO. It’s clear that there is mutual interest. The higher interest in the Republic of Moldova was also seen at the NATO ministerial meeting of last November. Then, for the first time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova was invited to such a discussion. It is not enough for the citizens, civil society to want the country to come closer to NATO. The political factor should be consistent and coherent. We now see that NATO more courageously comes with messages intended for the Russian Federation, while the demand to withdraw the foreign forces implies the guaranteeing of the sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of Moldova,” Natalia Albu stated in the program “Parallel 47” on Radio Moldova station.
In the same connection, the head of the Association of Experts for Security and Global Affairs Angela Grămadă applauded the Ukrainian authorities for their capacity to communicate, calling on the official Chisinau to follow the strategic communication example of Ukraine.
“The Republic of Moldova should take lessons on communication aspects from the Ukrainian side, which is good at efficient communication strategies. They communicate in a punctual way and go directly to the target, while the Republic of Moldova hesitates for many times, trying not to anger states that encroach on our interests and therefore we lose ground,” stated Angela Grămadă.
At the NATO Vilnius Summit, the NATO Allies signed a joint statement in which the Republic of Moldova is also mentioned. NATO reiterated its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders and called on Russia to withdraw all of its forces stationed in the Transnistrian region without Moldova’s consent.
