The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, said on Tuesday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s statements that the West wants to turn the Republic of Moldova into the “next Ukraine” are intellectually discredited. him.

“It is a shame that Mr. Lavrov, who was once a respected diplomat, is following this path, which discredits him from an intellectual point of view,” Borrell said at a press conference in Brussels together with Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrylicea, EFE reports. and Agerpress.

Havrilica met Borrell in Brussels on Tuesday to demand that the Republic of Moldova participate in all possible EU programs to strengthen political and economic ties before the start of accession talks after gaining candidate status with Ukraine last year.

“There is nothing serious about these considerations,” Borrell added, when asked about Lavrov’s statements on Thursday on Russian state television Rossiya-24 and the official news agency RIA Novosti that “Moldova is now being considered for this role.” , with reference to the situation in Ukraine.

The head of Russian diplomacy said that the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, “aspires to join NATO” and that “she has Romanian citizenship and is ready to unite with Romania.”

• Read also: Lavrov threatens Chisinau again: “The West has set its eyes on the Republic of Moldova, which will be the next Ukraine” / He also refers to Romania

Regarding Moscow’s efforts to gain influence in the region, Borrell expressed the EU’s “respect” for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova “with a special status for Transnistria,” a pro-Russian separatist region that operates de facto as an independent country.

At the EU-Moldova Association Council, the first since Moldova became a candidate country and after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Borrell welcomed the fact that the bloc had begun a “new strategic phase” in its relations with Moldova, which was ” deeply affected” by the war in a neighboring country, but showed “incredible solidarity” with Ukrainians.

He reminded that the Republic of Moldova plays a decisive role in the solidarity corridors created by the EU, which allow Ukrainian exports to enter the international market.

At the end of the meeting, the Spanish politician congratulated the Republic of Moldova within the framework of community cooperation programs in the customs, fiscal and security spheres.

At the same time, he expressed the EU’s willingness to “explore opportunities” to reduce the cost of mobile data roaming between Moldovan and EU citizens to help Chisinau join the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA).

The high representative reminded that in the accession process each candidate country is evaluated “according to its own merits”, but assured that “the future of Moldova and its citizens is clearly in the EU”.

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