France and Moldova signed an agreement on defense cooperation

On March 7, the governments of Moldova and France signed a bilateral agreement on security and defense cooperation.

The document was signed by Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi and French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

It took place in Paris in the presence of Moldovan President Maia Sandu and French President Emmanuel Macron.

According to Macron, such an agreement provides for “the opening of a permanent defense mission in Chișinău in the coming months” (the office of the French defense attaché). He noted that this was only the first step.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu, for her part, thanked France for its support of Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its willingness to help with the peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian conflict.

In addition, the leaders of both states issued a joint statement calling on Russia to “withdraw its forces illegally deployed on the territory of Moldova.”

The document on defense cooperation was signed to strengthen bilateral cooperation relations and bring the legal framework in line with the current security situation.

Under this agreement, the defense ministries of two countries will expand cooperation in several areas both bilaterally and within international organizations.

“The agreement signed today significantly contributes to the modernization of the National Army. Strengthening cooperation with external partners is one of our strategic objectives, and the French Republic, with which we have been cooperating for over 25 years, as well as other countries, is one of the countries that can help us achieve this goal,” the Moldovan Defense Minister said.

In Paris, the defense ministers also discussed the current state of bilateral cooperation and prospects for intensifying the partnership to maintain stability and security in the region and in the world. Minister Anatolie Nosatîi thanked the French government for its aid to the National Army, as well as for the recent logistical support.

On November 10 last year, France handed over the first batch of military aid to the National Army of Moldova.

In December 2023, Moldovan Armed Forces received a French Ground Master 200 mobile aerial target detection radar.