Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki and Moldova’s Dorin Recean discussed "multi-faceted support" for Moldova amid Russia's war against Ukraine, as well as bilateral cooperation, notably in the field of energy and joint economic and financial projects, according to officials.
Morawiecki and Recean also signed a memorandum of understanding on cyber security between their countries when they met in the Moldovan capital on Thursday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
'We face similar threats'
At a joint news conference afterwards, the Polish prime minister outlined historical links between Poland and Moldova, saying that the paths of the two countries had “intertwined many times” in the past.
Morawiecki stated: “Today, in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine, we face similar threats.”
'Living in the shadow of war'
The Polish prime minister told reporters: “Both our countries are living in the shadow of war. We’ve been dealing with its consequences for more than a year now. Both our nations are helping refugees from neighbouring Ukraine. Both Poland and Moldova provide support for Ukraine’s war effort against the Russian invasion.”
Morawiecki added that both Poland and Moldova “are perfectly aware” of the threats and challenges posed by Russia.
He cited “the threat of Russia’s hybrid warfare, gas blackmail, energy blackmail, energy attack, Russian inflation and Russian propaganda” as examples of “challenges that we are facing.”
The Polish prime minister said: “But Moldova additionally has the shadow of the Russian threat, of the Russian garrison in Transnistria, hanging over it.”
He added that Moscow was seeking "to intimidate the government in Chișinău in all sorts of ways.”
'We must ensure that Ukraine wins the war and Russia loses'
Morawiecki stressed that “for Europe to be secure, we must ensure that Ukraine wins the war and Russia loses.”
He argued that, "given the current situation, it is all the more commendable” that Moldova’s leaders, including Recean and President Maia Sandu, “are seeking to shape relations with the country’s neighbours in a peaceful way and for Moldova to become a part of the European family of nations, also in the institutional sense, by joining the European Union.”
'We want to help Moldova be part of the European Union'
Morawiecki said that “accession to NATO and the European Union were important moments in Poland's recent history.”
He added: “That is why we also want to help Moldova be part of the European Union. Our support is on many different levels.”
The Polish prime minister added that EU membership would be “a step towards joining wider security structures.”
Poland 'seeking to extend helping hand to Moldova’
“We are seeking to extend a helping hand to Moldova from Warsaw and stabilise the situation in this beautiful country,” Morawiecki told reporters.
He said that Poland’s interior ministry “provides equipment and training programmes” for various security agencies in Moldova, while Poland’s flagship carrier LOT "now flies more than 10 flights a week” between Warsaw and Chișinău, and Poland’s development bank BGK “provides assistance to Moldova’s development agencies.”
Poland’s prime minister also praised Moldova’s “ambitious plan” to “follow in Poland’s footsteps” and “achieve independence from Russian gas supplies,” the PAP news agency reported.
Power generators for Moldova
Morawiecki told reporters: “Today, I decided to hand over 20 industrial power generators to Moldova to protect Moldovan hospitals and other public institutions from power outages.”
He added that Poland "also provides energy security to Ukraine.”
Referring to the new bilateral memorandum of understanding on cyber security, Morawiecki said: “In the era of hybrid wars, cyber security is equally important - we also discussed this with Prime Minister Recean. Poland is ready to support Moldova's efforts to secure the digital space.”
Moldova seeks to strengthen cooperation with Poland: Recean
Meanwhile, Moldova’s Recean said: “I would like to place on record my appreciation for Poland’s role in projects to modernise our country.”
He also said he was grateful for Poland's support "for the process of Moldova’s integration with the EU.”
Recean declared that Moldova wanted to strengthen its cooperation with Poland in agriculture and transport as well as in internal affairs, defence, digitisation and cyber security.
Polish PM meets with Moldova’s president
Later in the day, Poland’s Morawiecki held talks with Moldova’s President Maia Sandu, the PAP news agency reported.
The meeting in Chișinău focused on “NATO-Moldova cooperation, Russia's aggression against Ukraine and cooperation on the digitisation of the economy,” according to officials.
Thursday was day 407 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, gov.pl