ISSUE: 4/2025
- Volume 29
- Number 4
- 2025
Subscribe NEWSLETTER
Studia Europejskie –
Studies in European Affairs
ISSN: 1428-149X
e-ISSN: 2719-3780
License
Articles published in the journal are under a Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial – No Derivatives 4.0 International License
Publication co-financed by Ministry of Science and Higher Education pursuant to the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Science of 3 August 2021 (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 1514) on the “Development of Scientific Journals” programme.
Publikacja dofinansowana przez Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego na podstawie rozporządzenia Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z 3 sierpnia 2021 r. (Dz. U. z 2021 r. poz. 1514) w sprawie programu „Rozwój czasopism naukowych”.
Publication co-financed by the University of Warsaw within the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” programme.
Czasopismo otrzymało dofinasowanie w ramach Programu „Inicjatywa Doskonałości – Uczelnia Badawcza”.
The Roles of the European Peace Facility and the Security and Defence Partnership in Supporting Moldova’s EU Integration
Abstract
This paper examines the role of the European Peace Facility (EPF) and the Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) as key instruments in Moldova’s European Union (EU) integration process. Amid increasing threats from Russian hybrid warfare – including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine – Moldova faces pressing security challenges that hinder its EU accession trajectory but also act as catalysts for change. The EPF, established by a Council Decision of March 2021, provides financial and material assistance aimed at conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and the strengthening of security, with Moldova being a major beneficiary. Complementing this, the 2024 Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) formalises deeper EU–Moldova cooperation, emphasising areas such as the countering of hybrid threats, cyber issues, strategic communication, and border management, thereby enhancing Moldova’s preparedness and resilience. The author seeks to determine how these instruments support Moldova’s EU integration and the improvement of its security framework through policy transfer, institutional capacity-building, transnational socialisation, and the promotion of EU standards, contributing to Moldova’s progress in aligning with EU foreign and security policy positions. This paper underscores the importance of sustained EU support to address unresolved issues such as corruption and the presence of Russian troops in Transnistria, which pose diplomatic and strategic dilemmas. Furthermore, it explores how these EU instruments facilitate Moldova’s alignment with the EU acquis in external relations (Chapter 30) and common foreign and security policy (Chapter 31), fostering institutional reforms necessary for integration. Overall, the author argues that the EPF and the SDP not only enhance Moldova’s security but also support its EU accession process, in the context of an evolving geopolitical landscape characterised by Russia’s assertiveness and the strategic importance of Moldova’s stability for the EU.
References
Anisimova, A. (2024) “Moldova’s EU integration and the special case of Transnistria”, Free Network. 14.10. Available at: https://freepolicybriefs.org/2024/10/14/moldovas-eu-integration/ (Access 29.10.2025).
Arsalan, B. (2021) “Hybrid Warfare – New Threats, Complexity, and «Trust» as the Antidote”, NATO Review. Available at: https://www.nato.int/docu/review/articles/2021/11/30/hybrid-warfare-new-threats-complexity-and-trust-as-the-antidote/index.html (Access 29.10.2025).
Cazaubon, N. (2025) “Moldova on the path to accession”, The European Security and Defence Union. 22.04. Available at: https://magazine-the-european.com/2025/04/22/moldova-on-the-path-to-accession/ (Access 29.10.2025).
Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 of 22 March 2021 establishing a European Peace Facility, and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2015/528 (2021), Official Journal of the European Union L102/14. 24.03. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32021D0509 (Access 29.10.2025).
Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/2136 of 2 December 2021 on an Assistance Measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (2021), Official Journal of the European Union L 432/63. 3.12. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32021D2136 (Access 29.10.2025).
Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/1093 of 30 June 2022 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (2022), Official Journal of the European Union L176/22. 1.07. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32022D1093 (Access 29.10.2025).
Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/921 of 4 May 2023 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (2023), Official Journal of the European Union L119/173. 5.05. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32023D0921 (Access 29.10.2025).
Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1049 of 4 April 2024 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (2024), Official Journal of the European Union L Series. 5.04. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401049 (Access 29.10.2025).
Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1713 of 13 June 2024 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova with military equipment designed to deliver lethal force (2024), Official Journal of the European Union L Series. 14.06. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401713 (Access 29.10.2025).
Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/697 of 7 April 2025 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (2025) Official Journal of the European Union L Series. 8.04. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202500697 (Access 29.10.2025).
Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/809 of 23 April 2025 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova with military equipment designed to deliver lethal force (2025) Official Journal of the European Union L Series. 24.04. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202500809 (Access 29.10.2025).
CPVA. Available at: https://cpva.lt/en/programme/other-international-cooperation-projects/european-peace-facility (Access 29.10.2025).
Dolowitz, D. and Marsh, D. (2000) “Learning from abroad: The role of policy transfer in contemporary policymaking”, Governance. Vol. 13(1), pp. 5–24. DOI: 10.1111/0952-1895.00121.
Dosenrode, S. (2020) “Europeanization”, Oxford Research Encyclopedias. Available at: https://oxfordre.com/politics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-1477 (Access 29.10.2025). DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1477.
E-Governance Academy (2023) “MOU to empower Moldovan cyber capabilities”. 27.03. Available at: https://ega.ee/mou-empower-moldovan-cyber-capabilities/ (Access 29.10.2025).
ERA (2025) ERA will supply VERA-NG system to the Armed Forces of Moldova under the EU initiative European Peace Facility. Available at: https://www.era.aero/en/about-era/news/era-will-supply-vera-ng-system-to-the-armed-forces-of-moldova-under-the-eu-initiative-european-peace-facility#:~:text=The%20supply%20of%20one%20of%20the%20VERA-NG%20passive,enhancing%20its%20Air%20Defence%20and%20Air%20Surveillance%20capabilities (Access 29.10.2025).
“European Union Procures Modern Air Surveillance System for Moldovan Air Force”, Militaryleak. Available at: https://militaryleak.com/2024/04/10/european-union-procures-modern-air-surveillance-system-for-moldovan-air-force/ (Access 29.10.2025).
European Council conclusions on security and defence in the context of the EU global strategy (19.11.2018). Available at: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-13978-2018-INIT/en/pdf (Access 29.10.2025).
European Council (2020) Council reaches a political agreement on the European Peace Facility. 18.12. Available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/12/18/council-reaches-a-political-agreement-on-the-european-peace-facility/ (Access 29.10.2025).
European Council (2022) EU adopts new set of measures to respond to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. 28.02. Available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/02/28/eu-adopts-new-set-of-measures-to-respond-to-russia-s-military-aggression-against-ukraine/ (Access 29.10.2025).
European Council (2024) Ukraine Assistance Fund: Council allocates €5 billion under the European Peace Facility to support Ukraine militarily. 18.03. Available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/03/18/ukraine-assistance-fund-council-allocates-5-billion-under-the-european-peace-facility-to-support-ukraine-militarily/ (Access 29.10.2025).
European Council (N.D) Available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/european-peace-facility/ (Access 29.10.2025).
European External Action Service (2019) EUvsDisinfo: how to debunk over 6,500 disinformation cases in four years?. 10.10. Available at: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/euvsdisinfo-how-debunk-over-6500-disinformation-cases-four-years_en (Access 29.10.2025).
European External Action Service (2023) European Peace Facility: EU Assistance to Moldova. 31.05. Available at: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/european-peace-facility-eu-assistance-moldova_en (Access 29.10.2025).
European External Action Service (2025) Moldova: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas at the joint press conference with President Maia Sandu. 24.04. Available at: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/moldova-remarks-high-representativevice-president-kaja-kallas-joint-press-conference%C2%A0-president-maia_en (Access 29.10.2025).
European Parliament Briefing (2025) The EU’s new bilateral security and defence partnerships. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2025/767215/EPRS_BRI(2025)767215_EN.pdf (Access 29.10.2025).
Gkritsi, E and Weizman, J. (2025) “Albania’s TikTok ban raises rule of law questions”, Politico. 08.01. Available at: https://www.politico.eu/article/albania-tiktok-ban-rule-of-law-edi-rama-free-speech/ (Access 29.10.2025).
Gonneau, P. (2013) “La Russie assiégée: récits de siège et vision obsidionale à travers les textes narratifs historiques”, Archive ouverte HAL. Available at: https://hal.science/hal-01788573/document (Access 29.10.2025).
Graf, J. and Solik, M. (2023) “Russia as a hybrid threat to Moldova in the context of the Russian-Ukraine war”, International Politics. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41311-023-00536-7 (Access 29.10.2025).
Howell, K.E. (2004) Uploading, Downloading or Crossloading? Conceptualizing Europeanization and European Integration in Howell, K.E., Europeanization, European Integration and Financial Services. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Available at: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9780230503120 (Access 29.10.2025). DOI: 10.1057/9780230503120_4.
Jones, S. (2025) “Balkan training camps reflect Moscow’s expanding definition of War”, The Jamestwon Foundation. 01.08. Available at: https://jamestown.org/program/balkan-training-camps-reflect-moscows-expanding-definition-of-war/ (Access 29.10.2025).
Jozwiak, R. (2025) “EU ramps up military aid for Moldova”, Radio Free Europe. 8.04. Available at: https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-eu-europe-military-aid-ukraine/33377207.html (Access 29.10.2025).
Ladrech, R. (1994) “The Europeanization of Domestic Politics and Institutions. The Case of France”, Journal of Common Market Studies. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-5965.1994.tb00485.x?msockid=0d89ac4c972c6adf3f49b87796806b56 (Access 29.10.2025).
Libaert, T. (2016) Pour la prise en compte du «nudge» dans les politiques européennes. European Economic and Social Committee. Available at: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/our-work/opinions-information-reports/opinions/towards-applying-nudge-thinking-eu-policies-own-initiative-opinion (Access 29.10.2025).
Marzac et al. (2024) Mapping international assistance in the security and defence sector of the Republic of Moldova, DCAF – Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance. Available at: https://www.dcaf.ch/sites/default/files/publications/documents/Cartography_international_assistance_Moldova_ENG.pdf (Access 29.10.2025).
Olsen, J. (2002) “The many faces of Europeanization”, Journal of Common Market Studies. Vol. 40(5). Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1468-5965.00403 (Access 29.10.2025). DOI: 10.1111/1468-5965.00403.
Pitaval, L. (2025) “A sombra do urso: o papel da interferência russa e da guerra híbrida nas eleições de 2024 na Geórgia e na Moldova e o seu impacto nas perspetivas de adesão à UE”, Relações Internacionais. No. 86. Available at: https://ipri.unl.pt/images/publicacoes/revista_ri/pdf/RI86/RI_86_NET_Lucas_Pitaval.pdf (Access 29.10.2025). DOI: 10.23906/ri2025.86a04.
Santopino, F. (2020) How does the European Peace Facility function? Konrad Adenauer Siftung. Available at: https://www.kas.de/documents/280929/11721132/GRIP%20III%201%20-%20ENGLISH.pdf/dcdeaffe-f454-7b5a-ee85-7f29bcfd52bb?version=1.0 (Access 29.10.2025).
Saurugger, S. and Surel, Y. (2006) “L’européanisation comme processus de transfert de politique publique”, Revue internationale de politique comparée. Vol. 13(2). Available at: https://shs.cairn.info/revue-internationale-de-politique-comparee-2006-2-page-179?tab=texte-integral#re9no9 (Access 29.10.2025). DOI: 10.3917/ripc.132.0179.
Saurugger, S. (2014) “Europeanisation in Times of Crisis”, Political Studies Review. Vol 12(2). Available at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1478-9302.12052 (Access 29.10.2025). DOI: 10.1111/1478-9302.12052.
Schimmelfennig, F. and Sedelmeier, U. (2008) Candidate Countries and Conditionality in Graziano, P. and Vink, M. (eds.) Europeanization. New Research Agendas. Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: 10.1057/9780230584525_7.
Schimmelfennig, F. (2005) Transnational socialization: community-building in an integrated Europe in Transnational European Union. Routledge.
Security and Defence Partnership between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova (21.05.2024). Available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/g12nbsvs/security-and-defence-partnership_eu-md_for-website-publication.pdf (Access 29.10.2025).
Tanas, A. (2023) “Moldovan president hails adoption of defence strategy citing Russia as threat”, Reuters. 16.12. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldovan-president-hails-adoption-defence-strategy-citing-russia-threat-2023-12-16/ (Access 29.10.2025).
Vitols, V. (2022) On Russia: A Neighbour’s experience. Riga: SIA UG1. DOI: 10.1109/RTUCON56726.2022.9978852.
Zito, A. and Schout, A. (2009) “Learning theory reconsidered: EU integration theories and learning”, Journal of European Public Policy. Routledge. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13501760903332597 (Access 29.10.2025).
Language: English
Pages: 207-225
How to Cite:
Harvard
Pitaval, L. (2025) "The Roles of the European Peace Facility and the Security and Defence Partnership in Supporting Moldova’s EU Integration". Studia Europejskie – Studies in European Affairs, 4/2025, pp. 207-225. DOI: 10.33067/SE.4.2025.10