On 5 January 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, welcomed a working visit from the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Nicu Popescu. During the meeting, the Ministers discussed the bilateral relations between Latvia and Moldova, Moldova’s integration with the European Union, the impact of war in Ukraine on Moldova, as well as other pressing matters related to the security situation in the region, including the energy and migration crisis.
Edgars Rinkēvičs commended the dynamic of bilateral relations and reaffirmed support for Moldova’s further eurointegration and strengthening its resilience against the threats posed by Russia. Nicu Popescu, for his part, reaffirmed that Moldova was continuing its active efforts towards implementation of reforms and EU criteria after having been granted EU candidate status in June 2022.
The officials exchanged views on the current security situation in the region. In the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Edgars Rinkēvičs highly appreciated Moldova’s solidarity and contribution to the welcoming of war refugees from Ukraine. Since the start of the Russian invasion, Moldova, Ukraine’s closest neighbour, has preserved its resilience to hybrid threats posed by Russia, including manipulations in the energy sector and information space.
As part of his working visit, Nicu Popescu met with the Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, Jānis Sārts, and the Deputy Speaker of the Saeima (the Latvian parliament), Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, as well as taking part in a round table discussion, “Moldova’s Path to the European Union”, organised by the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation and the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Latvia.
