By Olha Hembik | 2024-12-04

WARSAW -- The United Kingdom and Moldova have begun a new defense and security partnership in response to Russian military threats.

Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy signed the agreement in Chisinau on November 20.

The UK Foreign Office said the pact was about "building on extensive cooperation between the two countries and strengthening Moldovan resilience against external threats."

"Moldova is a vital security partner for the UK, which is why to reinforce their resilience against Russian aggression and to keep British streets safe, I am deepening cooperation on irregular migration and launching a new defense and security partnership," said Lammy.

Moldova has been looking eastward with unease since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"The bilateral [UK-Moldovan] partnership in the security sector will allow us to boost dialogue and cooperate more efficiently on subjects concerning regional security, consolidation of resilience in the face of hybrid threats and strengthening of cooperation at the operational level," Popsoi said, according to the Moldpres state news agency.

Lammy met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu the same day. They discussed regional security, emphasizing international support for Ukraine, according to a statement from Sandu's press office.

Ukraine's steadfastness in the confrontation with Russia protects not only its own freedom but also the stability of the entire region, said Sandu.

"Stability in the region is necessary for the security of our citizens and the economic development of Moldova," she said.

Resilience against Russian aggression

"We are now seeing increased cooperation between Moldova and Western countries," said Stanislav Zhelikhovsky of Kyiv, a political scientist and international relations specialist. "Obviously, this is what Sandu, who wants the country to be closer to the West and be able to integrate into the EU [European Union], is advocating."

Lammy and the new British government, formed by the UK Labour Party, advocate "rapprochement with continental Europe, especially after Brexit," he told Kontur.

"And Moldova may be a good platform for this end, given that it plans to be a member of the [EU]."

"Moldova would like to be stronger militarily," Zhelikhovsky said. "After the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moldova began to wonder whether Russia would respect its neutrality and refrain from military operations, given that the unrecognized republic of Transnistria still exists on Moldovan territory and a Russian military unit is located there."

Now Moldova intends to strengthen its defenses, as Chisinau realizes its inexperience in combat and in NATO military exercises puts it at a disadvantage in the event of Russian aggression, he said.

"The Russian military base in unrecognized Transnistria now threatens European security," said Mikhailo Strelnikov, who launched an initiative to build a Museum of Victory over Despotism in Poland.

The prospect of war with Russia already "constrains NATO," he said.

But in his view, "if a terrorist is given free rein, he will seize everything."

Confronted by Russian threats, Poland and the Baltic countries are actively strengthening their borders, reinforcing their armies and increasing combat readiness, he said.

"NATO is now ... beginning to act. It understands that the threat is very real and that it needs to be prepared for it," Strelnikov told Kontur.

"Moreover, we see how Russian agents and the sleeper agents who were there even during the [Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic] are becoming more active in Moldova," he said, citing as an example the victory of pro-Russian politician Călin Georgescu in the first round of Romanian presidential elections November 26.

"[Russian President Vladimir] Putin is trying to destabilize the region with propaganda and vote-buying," Strelnikov said. "That is why Britain is very promptly joining in to help Moldova."

"Britain is part of NATO's forward presence and understands better than anyone else the threat posed by Russia. Perhaps because it was one of the countries that suffered the most during the Second World War," he said.

Significance of elections

In the second round of presidential elections, which took place in Moldova on November 3, Sandu won by a small margin, taking 55% of the vote.

Her reelection came two weeks after a referendum in which Moldovans voted narrowly to join the EU, amid allegations of Russian interference in the voting.

Residents of the capital support Sandu's pro-European course and EU accession, but rural areas, separatist Transnistria and pro-Russian Gagauzia are opposed.

"I visited about 20 polling stations in northern Moldova -- where a lot of Ukrainians live -- and, unfortunately, my impression is depressing. A lot of people support the pro-Russian candidate," said Ukrainian MP Ihor Huz, who was an independent observer during the presidential elections in Moldova.

"This is a long-standing problem," he told Kontur. "Ukraine has not engaged with its diaspora for decades. It has not pursued a [consistent] anti-Russian, pro-European policy. As a result, in all the districts where Ukrainians live, Maia Sandu unfortunately did not receive enough votes."

More than 123,000 Ukrainians had taken refuge in Moldova as of the end of October, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR).

"The country's elections showed that society is split," said Zhelikhovsky, adding that next year's parliamentary elections could turn the country towards Moscow.

"There is a high risk that the legislative branch will be controlled by pro-Russian forces," he said. "Accordingly, the president wants to sign agreements before it's too late that will be important for the country."

"Russia will undoubtedly try to foment instability by seeking control of the state," said Huz. "That is why it is obvious that reviving security and defense cooperation with Britain is most welcome. Decisive action from Western partners is needed here."