Lithuanian foreign minister pledges support for Moldova's EU membership bid

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has promised full support for Moldova in its efforts to join the European Union.

"Lithuania is ready to share its transformation experience with Moldova and help prepare for the intensive process of EU enlargement negotiations," the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry quoted Landsbergis as saying during Monday’s meeting with his Moldovan counterpart, Mihai Popsoi, in Chisinau.

"Russia continues to seek to destabilize the internal situation of Moldova and hinder its European integration aspirations; therefore, we must believe in the European future of Moldova and help it fully," Lithuania's top diplomat said. 

"I am glad that after becoming an EU candidate country, Moldova firmly stepped onto the path of reforms and consolidated the efforts of its political elite to achieve goals on the path to EU integration," he added.  

At their meeting, the two ministers discussed Lithuania's expert assistance to Moldova in transposing EU law and in setting up an information incident analysis center, and bilateral strategic communication projects, the Foreign Ministry said in its press release.

They also highlighted "the threat of hybrid attacks by Russia in the run-up to the country’s presidential elections and the referendum on joining the EU". 

As part of his visit to Chisinau on Monday and Tuesday, Landsbergis is also scheduled to take part in the ministerial conference of the Moldova Partnership Platform "to discuss Moldova's progress in implementing reforms, support needs and Lithuania’s support".

The ministry noted that the meeting comes at an important time for Moldova, with just over a month to go before the country's presidential election and EU integration referendum, both set for October 20.

This is the fifth ministerial-level meeting of the Moldova Partnership Platform, which was established in 2022 at the initiative of France, Romania, and Germany.