This is not NATO for you: Russia urges Moldova to refrain from reckless steps
The adoption of Moldova's military strategy indicates the continuation of attempts to draw it into a reckless confrontation with Russia, Russian Ambassador to the republic Oleg Ozerov told Izvestia. On October 8, Chisinau approved a new military doctrine until 2035, which involves an increase in spending, the size of the army and the transition of the defense sector to NATO standards. The new document lists Russia as the main threat. Against this background, the Russian ambassador called on the Moldovan side to refrain from reckless steps that carry the risk of unintended escalation. According to him, Moscow will respond to any threats to Russian citizens in Transnistria. At the same time, Moldovan MP Konstantin Starysh told Izvestia that the republic would not be able to apply for NATO membership in the near future. First, the country will need to amend the constitution, and for this the ruling Action and Solidarity party does not have the necessary number of mandates.
Military strategy of Moldova
The Moldovan government has approved a military strategy for the period 2025-2035. The document provides for a gradual increase in the defense budget to 1% of GDP, the size of the national army by a third, the modernization of the armed forces and the transition to NATO standards.
The strategy identifies Russia as a threat to the republic. The authors of the document mention the special operation in Ukraine as one of the risks, and also admit the "possibility of its spread" to the territory of Moldova. The authors of the document believe that "Russia will not abandon its hostile actions" towards Chisinau.
The adoption of this document indicates the continuation of attempts to draw Moldova into a reckless confrontation with Russia, to set it on a destructive Ukrainian path, Russian Ambassador to the republic Oleg Ozerov told Izvestia. At the suggestion of the Euroglobalists, the policy of diluting the neutral status of the republic, its accelerated militarization, and the escalation of aggressive Russophobic sentiments is intensifying.
— Our country does not threaten Moldova's security in any way. We respect its sovereignty, neutral status and territorial integrity in strict accordance with the 2001 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. The observance of these principles by both sides and the rejection of confrontation with Russia is the key to stability and prosperity for the Republic of Moldova. We urge the Moldovan side to refrain from reckless steps that carry the risk of unintended escalation," he said.
Neither Moscow nor Chisinau needs such a development, the ambassador added.
Moldova's actions also cause serious concern in Transnistria, where Russian peacekeepers are stationed. After all, the process of militarization may eventually push Chisinau to attempt to militarily achieve the incorporation of Transnistria into the republic. Although the Transnistrian authorities said that they were considering reunification with Moldova only on the terms of the federation.
"If necessary, we will adequately respond to armed provocations and threats to the security of our citizens and the peacekeeping contingent in Transnistria," Oleg Ozerov said.
An important point in the document is the mention of the neutral status of the country. It states that Moldova's neutrality, stipulated in Article 11 of the Constitution, "obliges to take all measures, including military ones, to protect oneself," and participation in international exercises is "compatible" with neutrality. However, the very content of the strategy directly contradicts the neutral status of the republic, Natalia Kharitonova, Professor at the Russian Presidential Academy of Higher Education and Chief Researcher at the Russian State University of Economics, tells Izvestia. Moldova has long ceased to be a neutral state.
The issue of lifting the country's neutrality has been discussed within it for quite a long time. The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service reported in July that President Maia Sandu promised "the NATO leaders to decide on the abolition of Moldova's neutral status provided for in the national Constitution" in the event of the victory of the Action and Solidarity party in the elections. But the capabilities of Sandu and her team are limited to a certain extent.
To abolish neutrality, the republic needs to change the Constitution, Konstantin Starysh, a member of parliament from the Communist Party, tells Izvestia. And for this, the ruling party does not have enough mandates. Sandu's party received 49.85% of the vote.
— In order to amend the Constitution, the ruling party needs 67 seats in parliament, while they have only 53. Moreover, the abolition of neutrality will definitely provoke protests and outrage in the republic. It's very risky for the authorities," he says.
That is, even with the support of the pro-Western Alternative party, which has eight mandates, it will not gain the necessary quorum.
The recognition of Russia as the main threat seems to be a logical step in the escalation of tension between Chisinau and Moscow that has accumulated in recent years, Artem Purchun, an employee of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, tells Izvestia.
— This definition of threat is based on the Moldovan authorities' persistent suspicions of attempts by external interference in the country's internal political processes, including informational and hybrid methods of influence. At the same time, such a formulation objectively indicates Moldova's gradual departure from the traditional policy of neutrality and rapprochement with Euro—Atlantic security mechanisms, the expert believes.
However, this is not the first time that the Russian Federation has been mentioned as a threat to the republic in Moldova's strategic documents, Natalia Kharitonova noted. Rather, the point about increasing the number of Moldovan Armed Forces by 30% to 8.5 thousand military personnel, including contract soldiers and conscripts, and 2 thousand civilian personnel, has become fundamentally new, she said. In December 2024, the Moldovan parliament approved the defense strategy until 2034, in which it called the Russian contingent in Transnistria a threat.
The probability of joining NATO
The West provides serious support in the militarization of Chisinau. In August 2023, the United States transferred more than $3 million worth of weapons to the Moldovan army. The Moldovan Defense Ministry also spoke about the country's interest in receiving air defense systems from NATO. The Moldovan army is currently being reinforced through the Partnership for Peace Alliance program. Moreover, the EU had previously allocated €40 million to the republic to strengthen its defense. An expert group of the Bundeswehr has started work in Chisinau, which will advise the army of the republic. It was also reported that German officers would "improve the compatibility" of the armed forces with NATO standards.
Nevertheless, the republic currently simply does not have the means to join the alliance — it is experiencing a severe economic crisis, according to HSE analyst Nicole Bodisteanu.
— Firstly, Moldova does not yet have such a military potential and is not a rich enough country to join the military alliance very quickly. In addition, most likely, NATO will not continue to expand eastward in the coming years until the conflict in Ukraine is resolved," the expert noted.
In 2022, inflation in the country reached a record 30.2%. By the end of 2023, the authorities managed to bring the situation under control, and in December 2024, annual inflation was 7%. However, in 2025, against the background of rising energy prices, the economy once again found itself in a crisis situation. Nevertheless, Moldova increased its military budget by 68% in 2023, to $89 million.
— Defense spending is very high. That's why educational institutions are closing, and pensions and salaries are not growing much. With such energy prices, economic growth is zero. Militarization will only increase, so economically and socially we will sink even more," the analyst believes.
The current situation in Moldova is a clear example of political absurdity, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted.
— Moldovans are bitterly aware that they have become hostages of the current tragic situation. They want peace and good neighborliness with all States. Their opinion is fastidiously ignored by the authorities and replaced with a fake slogan about the "irreversibility of the European path" of Moldova. In fact, "irreversibility" leads to poverty and debt dependence," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
It is worth noting that Moldova currently cannot afford to increase defense spending, so the republic can only hope for more subsidies from Brussels, some of which have already been directed to military purposes, concluded Nicole Bodisteanu.
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