Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu said that Moldova will not become a NATO member. However, being a neutral state, Moldova should still give priority to ensuring its security. Grosu made these statements in an interview with Prime TV in response to a question about fears circulating in society about a possible escalation of the conflict if Moldova joins the North Atlantic Alliance, Radio Moldova reports.

Grosu noted Moldova's neutrality and stated that the country's accession to NATO is not an issue. However, he also pointed to the need for Moldova to prioritize its security in the face of the ongoing conflict in the region. 

"We have to ask ourselves a very serious question - how do we protect our airspace? Last time we had to close our airspace for an hour because it was about the aviation security of our citizens. The separatist authorities on the left bank of the Nistru River are, shall we say, much better equipped than the national army," Grosu said.

President Maia Sandu earlier requested anti-aircraft systems and financial assistance from the allies to strengthen Moldova's defense capabilities amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Moldovan resource Beltsy Independent Portal reported.