NATO is ready to get closer to Moldova as much as Chisinau wants

In an interview with the Romanian Agerpres agency, Geoană noted that Moldova has been a partner of the Alliance “for several decades.”

“Obviously, the realization of the sad reality that Russia is a very aggressive country that uses military force against its neighbors has forced them (Moldova - ed.) to come up with even more ambitious proposals within the framework of the existing partnership with NATO and the European Union,” he added.

Geoană also recalled the words of the Alliance's Secretary General about his readiness to increase the budget for Moldova, emphasizing that this also applies to other partners “who are under increasing pressure from the Russian Federation.”

“We are ready to go as far as the Republic of Moldova is ready to go in its relations with us,” concluded Geoană.

Moldova is not a NATO member but cooperates with the Alliance. In December, a representative of Moldova took part in a NATO ministerial meeting in Bucharest for the first time. In January, President Maia Sandu said that the government was discussing the possibility of moving away from neutral status and joining a larger alliance amid the full-scale war in Ukraine.