The initiative was disclosed as British Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited the Moldovan capital Chisinau.

The UK foreign ministry said the pact was about "building on extensive cooperation between the two countries and strengthening Moldovan resilience against external threats.

"Moldova is a vital security partner for the UK, which is why to reinforce their resilience against Russian aggression and to keep British streets safe, I am deepening cooperation on irregular migration and launching a new defence and security partnership," said Lammy.

Moldova has been looking eastwards with unease since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The war has forced millions of civilians to flee their homes in Ukraine, including tens of thousands to Moldova, with more than 50,000 Ukrainian children now living in the country, the UK statement said.

Earlier this month, Moldova's pro-European President Maia Sandu won re-election following a tense vote overshadowed by allegations of Russian meddling.

It came just two weeks after a referendum in which Moldovans voted by a razor-thin margin in favour of joining the EU.

The two votes laid bare divisions in the former Soviet republic.

A large diaspora and those in the capital mostly favour joining the EU, while rural areas and the pro-Russian separatist regions of Transnistria and Gagauzia are against.