Moldovan President Says "Serious Discussions" Are Taking Place on Joining NATO

Serious discussions are underway in Moldova regarding whether the country should abandon its constitutionally enshrined neutrality and join a "larger alliance." This was stated by Moldovan President Maia Sandu in an interview with Politico.

We are currently having a serious discussion about whether we can defend ourselves, whether we can do it alone, or whether we need to become part of a larger alliance, she said in response to a question about possible NATO membership.

According to Sandu, "if we as a nation come to the conclusion at some point that we need to change our neutrality, this should happen through a democratic process." The publication notes that the greatest obstacle for Moldova's NATO membership is the presence of Russian military forces in Transnistria.