By John Irish
PARIS (Reuters) - Moldova's president on Thursday signed a defence cooperation accord with France, warning that Russia was renewing efforts to destabilise her country and that if President Vladimir Putin was not stopped in Ukraine he would keep going.
Maia Sandu's visit to Paris, also to sign an economic roadmap, comes as Western states seek to strengthen the former Soviet state's capabilities amid what they fear are increasing destabilisation efforts by Russia.
"If the aggressor is not stopped, he will keep going, and the front line will keep moving closer. Closer to us. Closer to you," Sandu said. "Europe must therefore present a united front."
Moldova, a western neighbour of Ukraine with a tiny defence budget, has seen long tense relations with Moscow worsen as it backs Ukraine in the war.
Russia has troops and peacekeepers based in Transdniestria, a breakaway statelet of Moldova that has maintained its autonomy for three decades with Kremlin support.
Moscow says it was forced to intervene in Ukraine two years ago to protect itself against aggression and threats from the NATO military alliance and that claims of further territorial ambitions are unfounded scaremongering by the West.
RUSSIAN 'PRESSURE'
The defence accord sets the legal framework for future training, regular dialogue and intelligence sharing.
A French defence mission will open in Moldova's capital Chisinau by the summer to help assess needs and talks have begun on possible weapons' contracts, the French defence ministry said.
President Emmanuel Macron said the agreement marked France's determination to protect and help Moldova.
Moldova's spy chief said this week that Russia was planning fresh attempts to meddle by provoking protests, interfering in an upcoming presidential election, and disrupting plans to join the European Union.
"The regime in Moscow seeks to control my country through energy blackmail, sponsoring protests, running disinformation campaigns, launching cyber attacks, interfering in our elections, pouring in dirty money and even attempting a coup," Sandu said.
"But we stand tall."
(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Andrew Cawthorne)