Moldova and Ukraine Sign Agreement on Environmental Impact Assessment Due to Russia’s Military Aggression

On 15 August, the Minister of Environmental Protection of Ukraine and the Minister of Environment of Moldova signed an intergovernmental agreement in Odesa on the implementation of the Convention on the Assessment of Environmental Impacts Due to the Armed Aggression of the Russian Federation and in a Transboundary Context.

This was announced at a joint briefing by the Minister of Environmental Protection of Ukraine Ruslan Strilets, the head of the Odesa Regional Environmental Agency Oleh Kiper and the Minister of Environment of Moldova Sergiu Lazarencu, Ukrinform reports.

‘I am confident that this document will increase the scope of environmental safety and cooperation between us,’ Lazarencu said. He also stressed that Moldova is ready to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine in both environmental and other areas.

For his part, Strilets said that the signing of this agreement once again underlines that Moldova and Ukraine not only share a common position on the eighth point of the Peace Formula, but that Moldova is also affected by Russia's armed aggression. ‘Thanks to the agreement, we now have the appropriate procedures to bring the aggressor to justice together,’ Strilets said.

Strilets also added that the agreement stipulates the establishment of rules for transboundary consultations between Ukraine and Moldova under the Espoo Convention. In particular, under this agreement, the construction of new infrastructure facilities on the territory of both countries will be launched after joint consultations.