Ukraine and Moldova presidents support joining European Union

The presidents of Ukraine and Moldova supported their respective aspirations in joining the European Union during talks in Kyiv on Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine and Moldova shared a common vision for their countries as full members of EU.

On her first official visit to Ukraine since winning presidential elections in November, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said Ukraine was a strategic partner for her country.

Ever since gaining independence a year after the Soviet collapse in 1991, Moldova has been divided between those favouring closer relations with Europe and those who prefer stronger links with Moscow.

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe with nearly 1.2 million of its people estimated to be living abroad.

It relies heavily on remittances, and closer ties with the EU are generally seen as more likely than those with Moscow to lead to a long-elusive political stability and economic recovery.