Ukraine and Moldova sign military-technical cooperation agreement

Visit and agreement

Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan arrived in Kyiv on a working visit on 26 October. He was accompanied by Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Vladimir Bolea, Defence Minister Anatolie Nosatîi and Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu, Ukrinform reported citing NewsMaker. The programme included talks with Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi, meetings with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, and participation in the Kyiv International Economic Forum.

Following the talks, government representatives signed an agreement on military-technical cooperation. “The agreement opens the way to exchanging experience,” Koretskyi said, as quoted by Suspilne. Ukraine also offered Moldova a larger role in the demining coalition; among other formats the prime minister mentioned the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation and the “Odesa Triangle” of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.

Drones over Moldova

Tofan said Moldova’s airspace has been violated more than 100 times since the start of the full-scale war. “Drones and shell fragments have fallen on our territory, five in a single Saturday. We cannot ignore these risks,” he said. He added that Ukraine has accumulated “extraordinary experience – even the best in the world” in defending against drones, including through effective, inexpensive technology, and that Chisinau wants to learn from it.

Tofan also reaffirmed his government’s support for a just and lasting peace, said Moscow must answer for its actions and return all deported Ukrainian children, and pledged continued political, diplomatic and humanitarian support for Ukraine.

Transit and border

Koretskyi thanked Chisinau for the 50% discount on rail transit of Ukrainian cargo across Moldova, agreed in August until the end of 2026. He said volumes had grown substantially and three times more grain had passed in transit. Ukraine asked to extend these terms into 2027: Russian strikes on Ukrainian ports are intensifying and, the prime minister said, “require reliable alternative routes”.

Kyiv also proposes using Ukrainian locomotives and crews on the Ocnița–Berești section. The sides plan joint controls at two more border crossings; main works on the temporary Yampil–Cosăuți bridge are due to be completed by the end of the year. Coordination of water releases on the Dniester was also discussed.

Why it matters

Moldova is a neighbour through which Ukraine’s backup export routes run, and a country that itself suffers from stray Russian drones. The military-technical agreement and an extended transit discount bring practical benefits to both: a stable export corridor for Ukraine and counter-drone know-how for Moldova.