UK plans to arm Moldova 'to protect it from Russia'

Britain wants to send modern weaponry to Moldova to protect it from Russia, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said.

She told The Telegraph newspaper on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was determined to create a "greater Russia" even though Russia's offensive in Ukraine had failed to achieve quick success.

"I would want to see Moldova equipped to NATO standard. This is a discussion we're having with our allies," she told The Telegraph.

"Putin has been absolutely clear about his ambitions to create a greater Russia," she said.

"And just because his attempts to take Kiev weren't successful doesn't mean he's abandoned those ambitions."

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Replacing Soviet-era equipment

Moldova, which borders Ukraine to the south west, is not a member of the NATO alliance.

Truss said talks were taking place to make sure that Moldova's defences could deter any future attack.

If Truss's plans are adopted, NATO members would provide modern weaponry to Moldova, replacing its Soviet-era equipment, and will train soldiers on how to use it.

Russia has called the offensive it launched on February 24 a "special military operation" aimed at disarming Ukraine and ridding it off radical anti-Russian nationalists.

Ukraine and its allies have dismissed this as a baseless pretext for attack.

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