Moldova is launching a project to develop interceptor drones in collaboration with Ukraine
Moldovan President Maia Sandu announced the launch of a project to develop interceptor drones, drawing on Ukraine’s experience. According to her, the initiative involves collaboration with Ukrainian experts and updates to legislation that will allow Chisinau to develop its own defense industry.
The president made the statement in a podcast with a local blogger that was released on Sunday. She said that the experience of neighboring Ukraine has made it clear: without its own interceptor drones, Moldova remains defenseless.
“Those who want our country to be completely defenseless must understand: there is a risk that drones will fall on us, and we will be unable to do anything about it,” Sandu stated.
She called on the government to draft legislative changes that would allow for the creation of public-private partnerships in the arms industry and attract foreign investors. Under the constitution, Moldova is a neutral state—this prevents the development of its own defense industry without the necessary legal changes.
Sandu confirmed that Moldova is already in talks with Ukraine regarding the development of drones.
“The Ukrainians are the best in the field of interceptor drones. We will try to obtain technology from them—to the extent that our capabilities allow. But in order to use this technology, we must first train a team of specialists,” the president explained.
The statement was prompted by a drone that crashed into a residential building in the Romanian city of Galați near the border with Moldova and Ukraine in May—two people were injured.
Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the Moldovan military has recorded more than 20 instances where Russian drones violated the country’s airspace or their debris fell near Moldovan villages. The army did not respond each time—simply because it had no means to shoot them down.
The Moldovan Armed Forces have only about 6,000 active-duty personnel and 12,000 reservists. The country has no tanks of its own, and its air force has only two helicopters and one transport aircraft. Transnistria remains a separate issue—an unrecognized pro-Russian enclave in the east of the country, where a Russian Operational Group of about 1,500 troops is still stationed and one of the largest ammunition depots in the region is located. According to analysts, it is precisely from there that a potential threat to Chisinau could emerge.
This is reported in a Reuters article.
As a reminder, Cyprus, which currently holds the presidency of the European Union, has initiated preparations for the official launch of negotiations, and this decision is considered a significant milestone for Ukraine and Moldova on the path to European integration, as it effectively opens a new phase of political and legal rapprochement with the EU. This was reported by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
The European Commission announced plans to allocate up to 641 million euros for the development and support of Moldova’s economy. This was stated by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos during her visit to Chisinau.
