On April 24, 2026, Cosmin Dinescu formally ends his tenure as Head of the European Union Partnership Mission in the Republic of Moldova (EUPM Moldova) following three years of dedicated service, since the establishment of the Mission in April 2023.
During his three-year tenure as Head of EUPM Moldova, Mr. Dinescu has presided over the establishment and success of the Mission, which has contributed significantly to the consolidation of the resilience of the Republic of Moldova, in particular in regards to crisis management and combatting hybrid threats, including cyber attacks and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). These efforts are complementary to broader EU engagement that contributes to Moldova’s security and stability.
In his farewell message to partners from the authorities of the Republic of Moldova, EU members states representatives, like-minded partners and staff, Mr. Dinescu said: “I am honoured to have had the opportunity to serve as Head of EUPM Moldova in such a crucial time and lay the foundation of the first civilian CSDP mission that focused on hybrid threats. The Republic of Moldova has shown an extraordinary capacity for resilience and growth in the face of extreme challenges and has become, also with our support, not only a beneficiary but also a provider of security and expertise for partners and EU member states.”
Before leaving the Mission, Mr. Dinescu held a number of farewell meetings, including with the President of the Republic of Moldova, the Prime-minister, Vice-prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Internal Affairs and heads of other Moldovan partner institutions. Moldovan interlocutors expressed their gratitude for the leadership, dedication and flexibility shown by Mr. Dinescu in his role as Head of EUPM Moldova. Mr. Dinescu express his gratitude to the Moldovan counterparts for their dedication and excellent cooperation with EUPM Moldova and reassured them of EUPM’s continued support under new leadership.
As Mr. Dinescu concludes his mandate, the Mission will continue to build on the strong foundations established, remaining a trusted partner to the Republic of Moldova in addressing current and future challenges in the security sector. The extension of EUPM Moldova’s mandate until May 2027 reflects the continued relevance of the Mission and the European Union’s steadfast commitment to supporting Moldova’s security and resilience. A decision regarding the future Head of Mission of EUPM Moldova will be taken by the Council of the European Union in the following days.
Background
EUPM Moldova was established in 2023 at the request of the Moldovan authorities, EUPM Moldova is a pioneering EU civilian CSDP mission that aims to enhance the country’s resilience to hybrid threats, including cybersecurity vulnerabilities and foreign information manipulation, and its crisis management capabilities. The mandate of EUPM Moldova was extended for two years, until end of May 2027, through a decision taken by the Council of the European Union on the 20th of May 2025.
Cosmin Dinescu was appointed Head of Mission on 25 April 2023, through a decision by the Council of the European Union, renewed every year until the maximum period of three years. Cosmin Dinescu is a Romanian diplomat holding the rank of Ambassador, with more than 25 years of experience. Before his deployment to EUPM Moldova, he was Ambassador of Romania in Lithuania and Latvia (2019-2023) and Croatia (2010-2016) and held high level management positions in the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Secretary General in 2016-2019).