Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made an official visit to Moldova – the first ever by a Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic – where he met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean.

During these meetings, the mutual desire to enhance bilateral relations and expand cooperation was discussed, particularly in the fields of trade, economy, and energy, as well as providing expertise for implementing reforms that align Moldova with the EU acquis.

In his meeting with President Sandu, Prime Minister Mitsotakis emphasized Greece’s contribution to Moldova’s energy security. He highlighted that the transfer of natural gas from Greece to Moldova and Ukraine via the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline is critical for Europe’s energy security and the success of the Vertical Gas Corridor.

He also pointed to significant prospects for cooperation in the renewable energy sector, where Greece is a leader, and in connectivity projects that benefit the entire region.

Regional and international developments were also discussed, with a focus on Ukraine, and opinions were exchanged regarding Ukraine’s progress on its European path.

Accompanied by President Sandu, Mitsotakis visited the house of Michail Katsikas, a historic building that served as the headquarters of the Filiki Eteria in Moldova, which the Greek state plans to acquire.

Key Statements from Kyriakos Mitsotakis During the Joint Press Briefing:

“Dear Madam President, dear Maia, thank you first of all for the very warm welcome and your kind words. It is a great honor for me to be the first Greek Prime Minister to make an official visit to Moldova, a country with which Greece shares close historical and cultural ties. Thank you also for remembering Alexandros Ypsilantis’ role—his presence here marked a symbolic beginning of our national struggle for independence.

My visit today reflects my firm commitment to deepening our cooperation, strengthening our bilateral relations, and jointly building a shared European future. President Sandu and I had a constructive discussion on various topics of cooperation and confirmed the excellent level of our bilateral relations.

We have strong Moldovan and Greek communities in each other’s countries that serve as living bridges between our peoples. We recently opened an embassy in Chisinau, a tangible sign of our commitment to upgrading our bilateral relations and their future potential. As you noted, there is great untapped potential for increasing bilateral trade and enhancing business ties.

We had extensive talks on energy cooperation. Greece can strengthen Moldova’s energy security through the Southern Gas Corridor and the Revythousa terminal, especially via the Alexandroupoli FSRU, which enables Greece to be an energy security provider to our regional partners. We discussed how this pipeline can operate smoothly and competitively in terms of pricing, which is crucial not only for Moldova but also for Ukraine.

We also talked about Moldova’s potential in renewable energy. You’ve made significant progress—so has Greece. Today, more than 50% of our electricity is produced from renewables. On some days, we cover 100% of our electricity needs from wind, solar, and hydro. We’ve encouraged Greek companies to actively contribute to Moldova’s development of renewable energy projects, and I’m confident we’ll soon see tangible results.

I’m also pleased we discussed connectivity. Direct flights between our countries are important. Greece is a tourist destination for Moldovans, but we also want Greeks to visit Moldova and appreciate our historical and cultural connections.

We also noted Moldova’s impressive development in the IT sector—an area where Greece is also advancing rapidly. I believe there are opportunities for further cooperation here.

I reaffirmed Greece’s unwavering support for Moldova’s independence and territorial integrity. We are fully aware of the complex challenges your country faces following Russia’s invasion and the war in Ukraine. Greece stands by your side, and you can always count on our support.

I had the chance once again to publicly reaffirm our commitment to Moldova’s European trajectory. As a country that joined the then-European Economic Community in 1981, we know how important this commitment is in ensuring geopolitical stability. We strongly supported granting Moldova candidate status and starting accession talks.

I congratulated President Sandu for Moldova’s progress toward EU membership. Despite difficult conditions, you are implementing tough but necessary reforms to align with the EU. We fully support your continued efforts and encourage you to maintain this positive momentum.

Yesterday, President Sandu, I, and other Southeastern European leaders met in historic Odesa for the 4th Ukraine–Southeast Europe Summit. The first summit was initiated by Greece in Athens in August 2023, and I’m pleased to see this initiative continue. We reaffirmed our support for Ukraine and Moldova’s key role in this geopolitical context.

We also discussed ambitious connectivity plans, such as my vision for a corridor connecting Alexandroupoli to Odesa via Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova. This would reinforce regional connectivity and send a clear message that both Moldova and Ukraine belong in the European family.

We must also maintain the credibility of the EU enlargement process and our commitment to the Western Balkans. For us, enlargement has always been a strategic investment for peace, stability, prosperity, and security in the region. It is even more urgent today given Europe’s geopolitical context.

Let me close by saying it’s a true pleasure to end this visit by touring what I understand is a major landmark in Chisinau, the house of Katsikas. As you noted, it holds special significance in our independence struggle, which began in 1821.

Dear Maia, thank you again for the productive discussion. We have many common goals to pursue, and I look forward to meeting again very soon.”

In Response to a Question from One TV Journalist Irina Conor on Moldova’s EU Accession Path:

“It’s not my place to tell a foreign government what to do regarding EU accession. The roadmap is clearly defined. It’s a complex, merit-based, and challenging process. What I can say publicly is that it’s worth it—and we are here to provide any technical assistance needed.

Secondly, reforms tied to the EU path can be difficult or politically painful but bear fruit in the medium and long term.

In an environment where populist voices are getting louder, it’s important to stress that Europe and European integration remain a beacon of stability. In my view, this is the direction Moldova should take, and the benefits far outweigh any short-term costs.

It’s important this message comes from a country that joined the EU early. We faced our own difficulties. Just ten years ago, Greece was on the brink of collapse, nearly exiting the Eurozone due to incompetent negotiations by the government at the time. But we avoided disaster and are grateful for that.

So, Moldova’s European path, in our view, will benefit all Moldovan citizens—and that’s why we support it.”