Moldova and France will sign a defence cooperation accord on Thursday as part of the West’s efforts to strengthen the former Soviet state’s capabilities amid what they fear are increasing efforts by Russia to destabilise Moldova.
Moldova, a western neighbour of Ukraine, has a tiny defence budget and has long had tense relations with Moscow, which have worsened as Chisinau backs Ukraine in the war against Russia.
Russia has troops and peacekeepers based in Transdniestria, a breakaway statelet of Moldova that has maintained its autonomy for three decades with the Kremlin’s support.
The French presidency said in a statement on Wednesday that defence and economic cooperation accords would be signed when President Emmanuel Macron meets his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu in Paris.
He would underline his “support for the independence, sovereignty and security of the Republic of Moldova, in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” it said.
Transnistria is not recognized by anybody, not even Russia. The only claim to legitimacy they have is as a province of Moldova, which also assures their economical survival by enabling trade with the EU. All their claims of independence, joining Russia etc. are empty posturing.
They are being enabled by Russian military presence which Moldova doesn’t want to challenge because their army doesn’t have the strength to finish it quickly and cleanly and could lead to another prolonged conflict and stale mate like it did in the 90s.
Changing the Constitution is indeed the democratic option but it depends on a referendum which would be subject to people’s political sympathies and subject to Russian propaganda. Moldova has underwent a pro-West sentiment lately but IMO it’s still not quite ready for a sweeping change.