The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain, José Manuel Albares Bueno, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, Mihai Popșoi, today held a meeting that saw discussions on the situation in Ukraine and its implications for European security, the process of accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union, and cooperation in the political, economic, commercial and cultural spheres, both at bilateral and multilateral level.
Minister Albares and Deputy Prime Minister Popșoi reaffirmed Spain's and Moldova's condemnation of Russia's aggression against Ukraine as a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter, and shared their common expectation that the ongoing negotiations would lead to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace and the restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Minister Albares reiretated to his Moldovan counterpart Spain's commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and Spain's firm support in the face of hybrid threats and attempts to destabilise its democracy and institutions. He also mentioned the humanitarian support recently provided by Spain through UNHCR to help vulnerable households withstand the winter season.
The two ministers discussed the ongoing reforms in the Republic of Moldova in the framework of the EU accession process, which began with the opening of negotiations during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in December 2023, and the 1.9 billion in support provided by the Reform and Growth Facility recently approved by the Council of the European Union.
In the bilateral sphere, the two ministers noted the excellent state of relations between Spain and the Republic of Moldova, and congratulated each other on the progress made in recent years through the signing of agreements on social security, recognition of driving licences and bilingual education in public schools in Moldova. They explored opportunities for cooperation in security, defence, justice and the fight against organised crime. The Ministers agreed to negotiate the establishment of a mechanism for regular political consultations and welcomed the reciprocal support for candidacies in international bodies.
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