Moldova, a small country of 2.6 million inhabitants who has been a candidate since the end of June to join the EU, is close to Ukraine. And it suffered the full brunt of the consequences of the war, particularly in terms of energy, when the Russian company Gazprom halved its gas exports to Chisinau.
“We must help the population to hold on,” French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told journalists, adding that material and financial aid will be granted on Monday.
The “International Support Platform for Moldova” was launched on the initiative of Germany, France and Romania. Two editions have already taken place, the first in Berlin in March, the second in Bucharest in July.
But this third meeting is of particular importance with the onset of winter and “Russian gas blackmail”, summarized a French diplomatic source.
“Russia has cut off a good part of the gas it usually delivers to Moldova and, moreover, electricity exports from Ukraine are no longer possible due to the bombardments on Ukrainian infrastructure,” said Ms. Colonna.
Moreover, Moldova has no gas storage capacity.
“In the case of Moldova, there is a need to maintain peace, stability and security, and all the aid we receive is an investment in our common stability, not only in Moldova, but also in the rest of Europe,” Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu said upon arriving at the conference.
In a recent interview with AFP, he had estimated the need for additional financing at 1.1 billion euros to cover the country’s additional energy costs this winter.
His government has turned to Romania to buy gas at low prices but the country remains extremely vulnerable, he insisted.
“At present, we provide approximately between 80 and 90% of the necessary needs of the Republic of Moldova in terms of electricity, but we must do more in terms of sustainable accessibility for the supply capacity of the country”, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu explained.
Moldova is threatened militarily by Russia with the presence of Russian soldiers on Moldovan territory, in the pro-Russian separatist region of Transdniestria.
From an economic point of view, it had to accommodate many Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. “Some have left but Moldova still has about 80,000 Ukrainian refugees” who must be helped, Mr. Popescu had underlined.
On Monday, 50 international delegations representing the European Union, the United States, Canada and Japan as well as international organizations and international financial institutions including the IMF and the World Bank are participating in the conference.
– Concern “at the highest peak of the state” –
For the French government, Moldova is a concern “at the highest level of the state”, underlined the diplomatic source.
The conference will also be closed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
In the longer term, Paris will have in mind to place Moldova on the path of reforms and bringing it up to European standards with a view to its accession to the EU, which “will take time”, warned the diplomatic source.
“It is in our interest to support and accompany” Moldova in its economic reform efforts, underlined Ms. Colonna.
His Romanian counterpart added: “This platform with its six working groups is the best equipped to help the Republic of Moldova in terms of expertise to properly achieve these objectives” of reforms.
The French president will address security issues bilaterally with Ms. Sandu.
Beyond Ukraine, France and its allies are closely monitoring developments on the “eastern flank” of Europe, which is “under direct threat from Russia”, adds this source.
We must “ensure that our eastern flank is able to withstand this pressure, because if it gives way, it’s the domino theory: we will all be weakened”, concludes the source.
