Europeans discuss further help to Moldova amid Russian destabilisation, says France
PARIS (Reuters) - European states are discussing how to strengthen military support to Moldova as it faces "increasingly aggressive destabilisation" efforts by Russia, France's deputy foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
Christophe Lemoine said that the issue would be discussed among some European foreign and defence ministers at a meeting in Paris in the coming days that would also focus on strengthening support for Ukraine.
The meeting, which European diplomats said could take place on March 7, was planned after a conference on Ukraine earlier this week.
It aims to come up with concrete ideas on cyberdefence, weapons production, defending countries threatened by Russia, notably Moldova, protecting Ukraine's border with Belarus and demining operations.
"Moldova is facing increasingly aggressive destabilisation attempts," Lemoine told reporters. "And the situation in Transdniestria is being followed with great attention here."
Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region asked Russia on Wednesday to help its economy withstand Moldovan "pressure", at a meeting of hundreds of officials dismissed by the pro-European Chisinau government as a propaganda event.
(Reporting by John Irish; editing by GV De Clercq and Alex Richardson)
