CHISINAU, March 11. /TASS/. Moldova, a neutral state under its constitution, is being flooded with weapons amid the conflict in Ukraine to drag it into an armed provocation, Moldova’s former Deputy Foreign Minister Valeriu Ostalep said, commenting on plans to open a French defense mission in Chisinau.
"Why is France paying that much attention to arming Moldova, sending its mission here being fully aware that Moldova has Ukraine on its one border and NATO on another. I have no doubts that those these provocative acts are meant for are aware of this and are preparing countermeasures. And this is in our territory and with the use of our people," he said in an interview with the Noi news portal. "And now ask yourself: Whom for? Who are the people we are supposed to die for?"
According to Ostalep, because of specific traits of the country’s leaders, Moldova has neither mechanisms nor tools to protect itself from such acts of provocation.
"Least of all our country, with its serious demographic and socio-economic problems, needs purchases of weapons and the presence of any foreign soldiers who are going to teach people here to kill," he said, adding that this should be a topic for the most serious public discussion in parliament.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s visit to Paris last week yielded an agreement on defense cooperation. French President Emmanuel Macron said back then that the French defense ministry plans to open a permanent mission in Chisinau, which will be tasked to train Moldovan soldiers.
Earlier, France supplied Moldova with a Ground Master (GM) 200 tactical radar to control the country’s airspace. It also donated a batch of military equipment to Moldova. Meanwhile, Moldova’s authorities announced plans to buy two more such radars top cover the country’s entire territory.