EU approves record air defence package for Moldova

EU foreign ministers have approved €120 million ($137 million) in air defence support for Moldova, marking the largest assistance package the country has received to date, EU officials.

The decision was made during the July 13 meeting of EU foreign ministers, exceeding earlier expectations that Chisinau would receive a smaller package. The approval came hours after a Russian overnight attack in which a Russian drone crashed in Moldova.

The support package is intended to finance the acquisition of a medium-range air defence system for Moldova's armed forces.

"The assistance measure will finance a mid-range air defence system ... (which) will continue to enable the Moldovan Armed Forces to improve their operational effectiveness and thereby better protect civilians," an EU statement said.

The initiative was promoted by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who during her visit to Moldova in May 2026 called for the bloc to provide €120 million annually in support for the country.

The funding will come from the European Peace Facility (EPF), a mechanism launched in 2021 and financed through direct contributions from the EU's 27 member states.

Following the latest allocation, total EU support for Moldova through the EPF has reached €317 million ($362 million) which makes Moldova the second-largest recipient of EPF assistance after Ukraine.

By Vafa Guliyeva