Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Moldova should be equipped to Nato standard, says UK's Truss

Moldova should be equipped to Nato standard, says UK's Truss

Moldova should be "equipped to Nato standard" to help it guard against the threat of a Russian invasion, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said.

Ms Truss told the Telegraph that talks were under way with allies about how to help smaller nations defend themselves.

She said it was clear that, despite limited success in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin retained "ambitions to create a greater Russia".

Moldova, once a Soviet republic, sits on Ukraine's south-western border.

It does not share a border with Russia, but is close to some of the regions currently occupied by Russian forces in Ukraine's south.

Moldova is not a member of Nato, although it did apply to join the European Union less than two weeks after the invasion of Ukraine.

Ms Truss said that discussions about upgrading Ukrainian defences to deter future aggression would also cover "other vulnerable states such as Moldova".

"I would want to see Moldova equipped to Nato standard," she said. "This is a discussion we're having with our allies."

Asked whether that was because Russia was thought to pose a security threat to Moldova, she said: "Absolutely. I mean, Putin has been clear about his ambitions to create a greater Russia.

"And just because his attempts to take Kyiv weren't successful, doesn't mean he's abandoned those ambitions."

Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, is home to many ethnic Ukrainians and has taken in more than 437,000 refugees from the war.

In a country of 2.6 million people that is higher than any other for the size of its population.

Moldova's President Maia Sandu is strongly pro-EU, but her predecessor Igor Dodon - who still has many supporters - was pro-Russian.

Russia supports separatists who control a breakaway region called Transnistria and has around 1,500 troops there.

In late April, the Transnistrian authorities said that explosions had targeted their state security HQ in the main city of Tiraspol, Soviet-era radio masts used to broadcast Russian news, and a military unit in a village outsider Tiraspol.

Separatist authorities blamed Ukrainian "infiltrators" but Kyiv said Russian special services were responsible.

Dr Jack Watling, senior research fellow at defence and security think tank the Royal United Services Institute, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There isn't an immediate threat against Moldova from the Russian military but there is definitely a significant threat from Russian subversive activity and destabilisation actions."

He said it was "sensible" to build up "appropriate capabilities" so Moldova "can stand on its own two feet" given that Russia has publicly indicated that it has designs on that country.

"It is worth doing that while you have the time to do it properly rather than coming to the problem when the threat is very acute", he added.

Ms Truss' comments come just weeks after she said the West "must be prepared for the long haul and double down on our support" for Ukraine.


Speaking in London, she said: "If Putin succeeds there will be untold further misery across Europe and terrible consequences across the globe. We would never feel safe again."

She also called for an increase in the UK's defence spending and said that the Nato target of 2% of GDP should be a "floor, not a ceiling".

In April, Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised that the UK would provide Ukraine with more military equipment.

In a phone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky, he pledged that more armoured vehicles, drones and anti-tank weapons would be sent.

On Friday, the PM also held a call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in which they discussed recent applications for Nato membership by Sweden and Finland.

Turkey has signalled an intention to veto the applications, accusing the countries of not taking a "clear stance" against Kurdish groups it considers to be terrorists.

A Downing Street spokesperson said Mr Johnson had told Mr Erdoğan that Finland and Sweden would be valuable additions to the Nato alliance, and had encouraged him to work with counterparts in both countries to address any concerns ahead of a summit of the military alliance in Madrid in June.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×