Moldova dismisses NATO membership, foreign ministry gives reason

Responding to questions about the possibility of Moldova moving closer to NATO, especially amid Russia's war against Ukraine and regional instability, Popșoi said everything depends on the will of the people.

"Joining NATO, like any other international organization, depends on the will of our citizens. If there is broad support, it can be considered a serious prospect and placed on the agenda. In our case, as you know, such support has not existed, for various reasons," the minister said.

At the same time, Popșoi acknowledged that he personally is a supporter of NATO, adding that civil society and the media should raise the issue more often "to remove the taboo around it." However, he said, politicians tend to avoid the topic.

"I have always been open. For me, the North Atlantic Alliance means security. After university, my first job was at the NATO center in Chișinău. I am a strong supporter of everything related to Euro-Atlantic security. You don't need a doctorate to understand that only NATO can provide real security guarantees," he noted.

Reports also circulate that, according to a May poll by iData, more than half of Moldova's citizens oppose NATO membership. The share of respondents who do not support the idea stood at 54.5%, while 33.6% said they were in favor of joining the Alliance.

Moldova: Other facts

Notable that despite the above, Moldova continues to pursue European Union membership.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas recently said the country should be admitted to the bloc quickly, noting that there are currently no opponents of Moldova's EU accession within the bloc.

Previously, the media reported that Romania is ready to begin talks on unification with Moldova at any time, but only if Chișinău considers such an option and it is acceptable to the country.