The security environment in Europe and the Black Sea region has been profoundly reshaped by Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the rise of hybrid threats, foreign interference, disinformation, cyberattacks, energy insecurity and attempts to undermine public trust in democratic institutions. These challenges have shown that security is no longer only about defence capabilities. It is also about the strength of democratic institutions, the resilience of societies, the credibility of public authorities, the independence of media, the integrity of elections and the ability of citizens to resist manipulation and external pressure.

The third edition of the Moldova Security Forum will focus on democratic resilience as a core pillar of national, regional and European security, exploring how democratic societies can strengthen their capacity to prevent, withstand and recover from crises. Particular attention will be given to Moldova’s experience in countering hybrid threats, protecting democratic processes, advancing European integration and building stronger partnerships with European and transatlantic actors.

Among its high-level debates, the Forum will host the panel discussion “Security, Defence and the Future of Europe: Views from the Capitals” presenting the latest TEPSA Book, which compiles 42 domestic perspectives on the future of European security from leading experts. The discussion will take place on 8 October at 5:30 PM (EEST) at the Republican Palace (Palatul Republicii) in Chișinău (Moldova). Livestreaming will also be available on YouTube and Facebook.

The event will feature the following panel of experts:

• Tony Lawrence, Research Fellow, International Centre for Defence and Security, Estonia
• Funda Tekin, Director, Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP), Germany
• Marion Messmer, Programme Director for International Security, Chatham House, United Kingdom
• Iulian Groza, Executive Director, Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) and co-author of the Moldovan chapter of the TEPSA Book “Security, Defence and the Future of Europe: Views from the Capitals”

The discussion will be moderated by Paul Schmidt, Secretary General of the Austrian Society for European Politics, and co-editor of the TEPSA Book.

This debate, co-organised with TEPSA as part of the “ExpressEU” project, will bring together leading experts and co-authors of TEPSA’s latest book on the future of Europe, edited by Michael Kaeding, Johannes Pollak and Paul Schmidt, and published by Springer Nature.

The Moldova Security Forum 2026 is organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Moldova, the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, and the NATO Liaison Office in Moldova, with the support of European and international partners: European Union Partnership Mission in Moldova (EUPM), Soros Foundation Moldova, German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), Embassy of Sweden in Moldova, Embassy of the Netherlands in Moldova, Embassy of Poland in Moldova, Platform for Initiatives in Security and Defence (PISA), Aspen Romania, and New Strategy Center (NSC).