WATCH: Alex Cadier reports from Moldova on this "very significant" summit

Moldova's President Maia Sandu declared on Thursday that her country was on an "irreversible" path to EU membership, after a summit with European leaders.

"At this summit, your presence makes us more confident than ever, in our future as a peaceful, democratic and free country," Sandu told the leaders. "A country that is on an irreversible path to joining the European Union."

The venue for the European Political Community summit, the Castle Mimi wine estate in the east of the country, lies only 20 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, adding to the symbolism of the talks.

Forty five leaders from Europe vowed to remain united in the face of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and Moldova.  

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived first at the summit, making the short journey to his smaller neighbor while his own capital Kyiv counted the cost of another night of Russian strikes.

Sandu, hoping to boost Moldova's stature as a small pro-Western democracy, is seeking European support and protection. 

"Ukrainians are fighting for freedom, European values and the future of our continent," she added, describing the summit, "a clear expression of our unity, strength and determination to act together as a single family."

Zelenskyy, however, warned that the ongoing debate over how quickly to follow up on Ukraine's ambitions to join the EU and NATO would embolden Moscow.

"We must remember that every doubt we show here in Europe is a trench that Russia will definitely try to occupy," he said, calling for Europe to extend immediate security guarantees and "clear invitations" to NATO membership.

Both Kyiv and Chisinau hope to start EU membership talks this year, despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine which NATO has said would prevent any accession request being ratified.

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The EPC summit was also being held less than 10 kilometers from the Moldovan region of Transnistria, which is occupied by Russian "peacekeepers." Despite criticism from the UN, Russian troops have been present in Transnistria for over 30 years in what Moscow describes as a peacekeeping capacity. 

Since the region declared independence from Moldova in the early 1990s, no countries have recognized the self-proclaimed republic. 

The European Political Community includes 47 European countries from inside and outside the EU - and excludes Russia and Belarus. Only tiny San Marino and Türkiye, whose newly-elected president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is preparing for his inauguration, failed to send a leader to the summit. 

It is a forum for strategic debate and addressing regional crises and - for some members - a potential steppingstone to full EU and or NATO membership.

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