In an effort to refute all the speculations and all the hysteria, as he described it, the parliament speaker of Moldova and leader of the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity, Igor Grosu, stressed on Sunday that the issue of Moldova’s joining NATO is not on the agenda.
Grosu’s remarks in an interview with the Prime television channel come as Moldova’s President Maia Sandy said previously in January that only NATO could guarantee safe protection to Moldova, underscoring that in the context of the development in Ukraine, it’s necessary to strengthen the country’s defense potential.
Sandy, however, pointed out that Moldova’s movement toward NATO must be supported by its citizens whereas Moldovan opposition parties sharply criticized the idea of a possible NATO membership.
Although not a member, Moldova is receiving NATO’s help in modernizing its army and is cooperating with the alliance – which opened a liaison office in 2017 and has an information center in Chisinau – under an individual partnership plan.
In a sign of growing Western support as Moldova rejects Russian political meddling, US president Joe Biden invited Sandu – even though her country is not yet even seeking membership – to attend the February 21 meeting of the representatives of the nine central and southeastern European members of NATO in Warsaw.
Biden’s move underscored the serious situation in which Moldova, wedged between Ukraine and northwestern Romania, fears Russian aggression.
With Moscow’s military threats taking on an increasingly belligerent tone lately, tensions are continually mounting, prompting Sandu to issue a direct accusation that Moscow was seeking to take advantage of the situation.
While Kyiv and Moscow traded warnings and accusations that the other party is planning a military intervention and forcing out Moldova’s pro-European leadership, Russian President Putin annulled a 2012 decree in which Russia had guaranteed Moldova’s sovereignty.
This – despite all Moscow’s pleas of innocence – bears a striking resemblance to moves Russia made ahead of annexing Crimea in 2014.
