What happened? Moldova rejects NATO membership

Moldova is not aiming for NATO membership, Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu said, adding that his country's neutrality is part of the country's Constitution.

But Popescu, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers' summit in Bucharest on November 30, said Moldova's neutrality does not mean self-isolation, demilitarization or indifference to world affairs.

During the two-day meeting, NATO ministers pledged to provide "stronger support" to Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, according to the alliance's secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, "are facing pressure from Russia ” after the launch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Moldova, one of Europe's poorest states, has taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees since the start of the invasion of Ukraine and has also been affected by power cuts due to Moscow's attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Popescu said that Moldova's airspace has been violated by Russian missiles aimed at Ukraine and that Russian missiles have even landed on Moldovan territory.

"We live in a difficult region, affected by Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine, a fact that has dramatic consequences for our country," Popescu said.

Moldova, which borders Ukraine and NATO member Romania, last week warned citizens to brace for a harsh winter as it said it was facing an "acute energy crisis" that risks fueling discontent. citizen.

At the end of the meeting of NATO ministers, Stoltenberg said at the press conference that the alliance will increase support for these three countries, without providing other details.

"The lesson we learned from Ukraine is that we must support these countries now," Stoltenberg said.

“Këto shtete preken nga ndikimi rus në shumë mënyra, por është më mirë që këto shtete të mbështeten tani sesa më vonë të shohim zhvillime që absolutisht shkojnë në drejtim të gabuar, ashtu siç pamë me pushtimin e Ukrainës më herët gjatë këtij viti”, shtoi ai.

Frika se konflikti në Ukrainë mund të përhapet ka vazhduar të mbretërojë që nga nisja e pushtimit rus, pasi ka shqetësime se Moska mund të tentojë të krijojë një korridor tokësor përmes Ukrainës jugore për në rajonin e shkëputur të Transnjestërit në Moldavi.

Në këtë rajon të shkëputur, Rusia ka vendosur afër 1.500 ushtarë të cilët thuhet se ruajnë në depo të madhe të armëve që ishte ndërtuar në kohën sovjetike.

In addition to these troops near this depot, Russia also has another 400-500 soldiers in the region, said to be peacekeeping troops. These troops have been in this region since the end of the 1992 war between Moldova and Transnistria. The conflict ended after a ceasefire, which is overseen by Russian troops./REL