President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Moldova Maia Sandu in Chișinău, where he arrived on the occasion of Moldova’s Independence Day.
“We are grateful for your support. We have always supported your sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we will continue to do so. We understand all the challenges posed by the Russian Federation’s plans against security and stability in our region. That is why we always stay in touch. We are good friends. We will stand by your side. And we support your path to the European Union,” the President of Ukraine emphasized.
Maia Sandu assured that Moldova would continue supporting Ukraine.
“Our friendship is very strong, and Moldova will continue to support Ukraine. We count on our friendship and partnership. And by standing together, we can bring peace to the region and ensure that our countries remain part of the free world,” the President said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed Maia Sandu on Russian strikes against Ukraine, which, among other things, damaged border crossing points with Moldova. The Head of State emphasized that because of attacks on Ukraine’s port infrastructure, it is important to seek alternative logistics routes through Moldova.
Particular attention was paid to the European integration of Ukraine and Moldova. The President noted that it is important to open all negotiating clusters in the near future and continue moving together toward membership in the European Union.
The leaders discussed issues related to the rights of national minorities, as well as strengthening cooperation in cybersecurity, countering disinformation, and strategic communications.
Detailed attention was also devoted to energy security, particularly coordinating efforts to strengthen the resilience of both countries’ energy systems as they prepare for winter.
At the end of the meeting, Maia Sandu awarded Volodymyr Zelenskyy the Order of the Republic, Moldova’s highest state award.
“Thank you! It is a great honor for us to make this special visit here on the Independence Day of your beautiful country. Of course, this award belongs to our heroic people – our warriors, civilians, our families, our children,” the Head of State said.
