Norway and Moldova on May 7 signed an agreement to strengthen their cooperation in the energy sector and step up the Southeastern European country's energy security.
The memorandum of understanding was signed in Oslo by Norwegian Energy Minister Terje Aasland and his Moldovan counterpart, Victor Parlicov, on the sidelines of a two-day state visit to Norway by Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
Moldova's energy sector has been reliant on Russia ever since the former Soviet republic declared independence in 1991, and Russia, through its state-controlled gas monopoly Gazprom, has used Chisinau's dependence on Russian supplies as a tool for political pressure.
With the pro-Western Sandu's accession to the presidency following the defeat of Moscow-backed incumbent Igor Dodon in 2020, Moldova has embarked on a path to limit Russia's influence, especially since the Kremlin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, with which it shares a 1,2220-kilometer border.
Gas- and oil-rich Norway has become Europe's top gas supplier since the invasion, with Russian exports falling under Western sanctions.
Since the start of the war, Chisinau has also benefited from a $6.8 billion financial aid program launched by Oslo to support Ukraine that includes funding for Moldova as a country affected by the war. Under the program, Chisinau was given some $36.87 million to purchase gas last year.
To reduce its dependence on Russian gas, Chisinau has also been moving aggressively toward renewable energy sources, managing to increase the share of solar- and wind-generated electricity threefold from 2021 until last year, when it amounted to 10.5 percent of the total, official figures show.
In line with this trend, the memorandum signed in Oslo on May 7, while mentioning the need of secure gas supplies, is centered on the further development of "energy efficiency, renewable energy, and smart digital solutions for the green energy transition as areas of cooperation," the Norwegian government said in a statement.
Furthermore, the Norwegian government announced in a separate statement an extra $32.2 million in assistance to Moldova under the Ukraine aid program.
"I am both proud and humbled that Moldova seeks a closer partnership with Norway in the energy sector. I believe Norway and Norwegian companies have something significant to offer Moldova for their challenges within energy," Aasland said after the signing of the memorandum.