Ukraine and Moldova pledge further military cooperation
During a meeting in Odessa, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak and Minister of Defense of Moldova Eugen Sturza agreed on further cooperation of the two countries in the area of defense, as reported on the website of the Ministry of Defense.
“First of all, it involves conducting joint exercises both bilaterally and in cooperation with NATO and individual allies, developing cooperation at the headquarters level for the types of armed forces of the two powers, joint actions in the field of military-technical cooperation, and improving the dynamics of partnerships between higher military educational institutions,” the report stated.
The ministers also discussed exchanging experience in countering hybrid threats and further cooperation in reforming the armed forces of both countries. Poltorak noted that the troops in Transnistria are a particular threat to both Ukraine and Moldova.
“Ukraine’s position is clear, which is based on the principles of respect for both the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova. Transnistria is an integral part of Moldova. We will do our best to help restore the territorial integrity of Moldova and support it in the future. We support a joint military-political course regarding European and Euro-Atlantic integration and will mutually benefit from developing our armed forces in accordance with NATO standards,” said Poltorak.
Sturza, in turn, noted that Moldova understands what Ukraine has had to go through and supports an early resolution of the crisis, preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.
“You can always count on our support, just as Moldova always knows that Ukraine supports us,” he said.
The Minister of Defense of Moldova insists on the modernization and rearmament of the army according to EU and NATO standards.