The UK and its allies are discussing arming Moldova against Russian threats, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Friday.
Speaking of a joint commission on upgrading Ukrainian defences to NATO standards, the foreign secretary said it “also applies to other vulnerable states such as Moldova.”
“Because again, the threat is broader from Russia, we also need to make sure that they are equipped to NATO standards,” she said, adding that it’s being discussed with the UK’s allies.
Asked if the proposal is a response to a security threat posed by Russia, Truss replied, “Absolutely.”
“I mean, Putin has been clear about his ambitions to create a greater Russia. And just because his attempts to take Kyiv weren’t successful, doesn’t mean he’s abandoned those ambitions,” she said.
The Telegraph said an aide of Truss later explained that NATO standards would involve NATO member states providing modern equipment to Moldova to replace their Soviet-era gear and training on how to use the new equipment.
Sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, Moldova is situated near the Black Sea and some Russian-controlled southern regions of Ukraine. Last week, Moldova’s Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu told Reuters there were internal elements in Moldova’s pro-Russian separatist region trying to destabilise the area and stoke tensions, as his country presses ahead with efforts to join the European Union.
Truss also said in the wide-ranging interview that the UK “shouldn’t be strategically dependent on China.”
“I want to see us have more eggs in different baskets,” the former international trade minister said when questioned if the UK should pivot away from Chinese electrical consumer goods.
It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the global response to the conflict in Ukraine.
Johnson emphasised that Finland and Sweden would be valuable additions to the NATO alliance, Downing Street said, after Erdogan said he opposed their accession—accusing the pair of not taking a “clear stance” against groups his country perceives to be terrorists.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Johnson encouraged Turkey’s president to work with Swedish, Finnish, and NATO counterparts to address any concerns ahead of the alliance’s summit in Madrid in June.
The leaders shared their “deep concern” at ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine and its “far-reaching consequences for the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic region and wider world,” Downing Street said.
The spokesperson added: “The prime minister welcomed Turkey’s leading role in addressing the crisis, and they agreed to work together to unlock vital supply routes for Ukrainian grain stocks and alleviate rising global food prices.
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