Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Moldova to participate in a summit of fifty European leaders with the aim of showing a diplomatic show of force vis-à-vis Vladimir Putin, especially in this Ukrainian border country that lives in fear of Russia. The meeting, organized by the European Political Community (EPC), is larger than the European Union and includes all 27 EU members as well as twenty invited countries.
Zelensky expressed his satisfaction at being present and thanked the Moldovan people for taking in so many refugees since the beginning of the war. The summit is being held at Mimi Castle, a wine estate in the village of Bulboaca, 35 kilometers from the capital Chisinau. Moldovan President Maia Sandu stressed that support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression will be reaffirmed.
The location of the meeting is no coincidence, as it is close to Transnistria, a pro-Russian separatist region in Moldova. The SPC is an informal body proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, bringing together countries with diverse profiles such as Armenia, Georgia, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Serbia, and Azerbaijan.
Both Moldova and Ukraine have the desire to join the European Union. Moldova will use the occasion to express its impatience for EU membership, while Ukraine also seeks the same goal. However, the road to accession is long for both countries. Macron has urged the EU to reconsider the way it operates and find new formats to respond to these aspirations.
During the summit, Ukraine’s security will also be discussed, while the foreign ministers of NATO member countries meet in Oslo to address Kyiv’s application to join the Atlantic alliance.
In addition to issues related to Ukraine and Moldova, talks are expected to be held bilaterally and in restricted formats to address other problems on the continent. The meeting in Moldova could help reduce tension in northern Kosovo, where violent incidents recently occurred between police and Serb protesters. A meeting is also expected between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, who are in negotiations to resolve their conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.