President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu, who is on a visit to our country.
The President of Ukraine noted the significance of Maia Sandu's visit immediately after the European Union made a historic decision to grant Ukraine and Moldova the status of EU candidates.
"I am confident that thanks to the success of European integration, our countries will become even closer. We will definitely share our experience on the way to full membership in the European Union," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed during a meeting with media representatives following talks with the President of Moldova in Kyiv.
According to him, both countries have threats based on Russian aggression and Russian policy, so the responses of Ukraine and Moldova to these threats should be common.
The President noted that Maia Sandu visited the Kyiv region today and saw the consequences of a full-scale Russian invasion.
"We must do everything possible together so that Russian aggression cannot threaten anyone in Europe anymore - neither Ukraine, nor Moldova, nor any other country," he said.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine and Moldova should strengthen cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, economy, energy, politics, cross-border cooperation, as well as cooperation in the security sphere, which is now a priority.
In particular, during the negotiations the parties discussed resistance to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Transnistrian issue settlement.
"Ukraine is the guarantor of this settlement and will actively help Moldova in the future," the Ukrainian Head of State stressed.
The Presidents also discussed the issue of Ukrainian transit through the territory of the Republic of Moldova, energy cooperation, which is extremely important for the whole of Europe to achieve independence from Russian energy resources.
"After the successful connection of the energy systems of Ukraine and Moldova to the common continental European energy system, today we have many new opportunities in the market of the so-called energy EU and in bilateral cooperation. Our common task is to make the most of these new opportunities," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
In addition, the parties agreed to create new transit routes and expand the export transit potential, in particular by facilitating the border crossing between the two countries.
"I confirmed to Mrs. President that Ukraine is ready to help with the reconstruction of the Moldovan railway. We also agreed to start the reconstruction of the Berezyne-Basarabeasca railway section to enhance the transport potential of both countries,” the President of Ukraine said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Maia Sandu for the decision to send a sapper unit to help with demining in Ukraine, as well as for helping Ukrainians who were seeking protection from Russian aggression in Moldova.
"Our nations feel that only together can we overcome threats of such magnitude as the Russian Federation has created against us," he said.
For her part, President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu noted that her country highly appreciates the feat of the Ukrainian people, who are fighting for freedom and the future.
"Fighting for their freedom, Ukrainians are also fighting for their neighbors in Europe. We in Moldova understand and deeply appreciate this," she said.
Maia Sandu stressed that Moldovan government institutions, charitable foundations, volunteer groups and ordinary citizens have joined forces to help people who fled Ukraine because of the war. The Moldovan government has also provided humanitarian assistance to Vinnytsia, Odesa, Chernivtsi, and the Mykolaiv region.
She noted that Moldova is ready to provide support in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
According to the President of the Republic of Moldova, her country is also ready to assist Ukraine in the transit of goods whose exports have been suspended due to the blockade of Ukrainian ports by Russia.
Maia Sandu thanked Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the development of Ukrainian-Moldovan bilateral relations and congratulated Ukraine on receiving the status of a candidate for EU membership, emphasizing that this is a historic decision for both countries.
The President of Moldova noted that during the meeting with the President of Ukraine they had agreed to cooperate in the implementation of reforms that would bring the membership of both countries in the European Union closer.
