President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Chișinău on Thursday to join Moldovan President Maia Sandu for the country’s 35th Independence Day, hours after multiple Russian drones violated Moldovan airspace during Moscow’s latest attack on Ukraine.
The visit highlighted the increasingly intertwined security and European integration paths of the neighboring countries as Russia escalates regional tensions.It comes three days after Sandu traveled to Kyiv to celebrate Ukraine’s own Independence Day, where she awarded Zelensky Moldova’s highest state honor, the Order of the Republic.
“Right now, it is especially important to stand together and strengthen one another,” Zelensky said in a public statement upon arrival.
“A few days ago, the President of Moldova was with us in Ukraine on our Independence Day. Today, Ukraine stands with Moldova on its Independence Day. Friends must stand shoulder to shoulder.”
Five drones cross into Moldova
The celebrations came hours after Moldova’s Defense Ministry said five drones had illegally entered the country’s airspace during Russia’s overnight attack on Ukraine.
The drones crossed into Moldovan territory at different points along the Ukrainian border between approximately 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., according to the ministry.
Sandu described the incursions as “intimidation,” against a backdrop of increasingly frequent Russian drone violations of Moldovan airspace.
The incident came two days after a Russian drone attack temporarily shut the Vynohradivka border crossing in Ukraine’s Odesa region, one of several recent Russian strikes on infrastructure connecting Ukraine and Moldova.
Moldova’s Independence Day events included a military parade in central Chișinău involving more than 2,000 service members and security personnel, 150 veterans and representatives of partner countries, including Ukraine.
Later in the evening, Zelensky addressed Independence Day celebrations alongside Sandu.
“I know for sure that together we will all be part of Europe – a free and peaceful Europe,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine, Moldova and Romania discuss regional security
Beyond the public celebrations, Zelensky and Sandu held closed-door bilateral talks before convening a critical trilateral summit with Romanian President Nicușor Dan.
According to a joint statement, the three nations finalized enhanced coordination strategies aimed at intercepting and preventing regional drone threats, alongside boosting collaborative energy networks and transport infrastructure.
“On the trilateral level... this meeting is proof that each of us has the maturity to understand the responsibility we have for the security and stability of this region,” Dan said.
Zelensky pointed to Russia’s repeated attacks on Ukraine as a warning of the threat Moscow poses to neighboring countries.
“You see what Russia has brought to Ukraine and what it threatens every one of its neighbors with,” he said, noting that Kyiv had experienced 11 air raid alerts that day because of Shahed drones and ballistic missiles.
“We all understand how abnormal Russia is, and we must help each other so that any threats to our peoples receive a proper response.”
The three leaders discussed security and defense cooperation, with Zelensky saying Ukraine was ready to support the development of Moldova’s and Romania’s security capabilities.
“Moldova and Romania are our natural allies in logistics, energy and many other areas,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine and Moldova are both pursuing EU membership, while Romania, an EU and NATO member, has strongly backed their European integration.