The neighbouring countries of Ukraine and Moldova share much in common.
Both declared independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991.
And both wish for European Union membership.
But unlike Ukraine, Moldova does not seek to be a part of NATO.
“Being a neutral country, that is off the books, that is not possible,” says the Deputy speaker of the Moldovan Parliament and senior member of the country’s ruling party, Mihail Popșoi.
Neutrality for Moldova means showing no ambition for joining NATO and in turn avoiding the ire of Russian President Vladimir Putin who has on its borders.
In essence, Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest countries with a population of only 2.6 million, is gambling on an avoidance strategy over a military alliance for its protection.
Moldovan Parliament deputy speaker, Mihail Popsoi (left) and Dateline reporter Evan Williams (right) stand in the parliament chamber.
Dealing with Russian aggression is not new to Moldova.
For 30 years the country has been fractured by a Moscow-backed separatist region called Transnistria that stretches along nearly all of Moldova’s eastern border with Ukraine.
An estimated 1,500 hundred Russian troops are based in the territory, which NATO has called an illegal military presence.
“Moldova sadly has learned to live with this constant anxiety, with its security being threatened, given that we have a frozen conflict that we have been struggling with for the last 30 years,” says Mr Popșoi.
A bust of USSR founder Vladimir Lenin in front of a Soviet-era building in Transnistria.
Many in the country and abroad fear that if Russian forces in Ukraine are successful in taking the southern port city of Odesa, Mr Putin would be able to link up his invading forces with the Russian troops stationed in Transnistria.
Mr Popșoi says Mr Putin’s aggression is a concern for the region, not just Moldova.
“Nobody appears safe, not only the immediate neighbourhood, but given the sabre-rattling and even mentioning of the nuclear weapons is giving pause to quite a lot of people, even far beyond our immediate region, " he says.
Moldova and the Transnistria region.
“We try to think less of this immediate threat and concentrate on the challenge at hand, at helping the Ukrainian refugees."
Over 380,000 Ukrainian refugees have entered Moldova since the war started, roughly 10 per cent of all who have fled and the most for any country per capita.
It’s a huge burden on the poor country.
“We are really counting on our good friends and partners in the European Union and elsewhere to help us maintain the stability that is crucial for the political stability in Moldova and in the region, " he said.
Refugees from Ukraine at the Moldovan border.
In early March, with the war in Ukraine only weeks old, for her country to join the European Union.
“When it comes to values, to identity, we are all Europeans, and we want to return to the European family of nations,” says Mr Popșoi.
“Moldovans have tasted freedom, have tasted democracy, and they don't want to give it back.
"And that is why also that we want to break away with our past, if you will, with the past where we didn't have freedom, we didn't have democracy, we didn't have freedom of the press, freedom of assembly.
“We want a much better future for ourselves and for our children.”
Asked what the Moldovan response would be if Russia did invade, Mr Popșoi doesn't want to speculate.
“It's something that is a nightmare scenario, and I wouldn't want to go there.”
