Bucharest, Jul 30 (IANS): Visiting Moldovan President Maia Sandu said that her country intended to buy gas from Romania as soon as possible to ensure national energy security.

"The situation requires us to act with maximum urgency and look for alternative solutions to keep the stability of the country and smoothly make it through the winter," she said in a joint press statement with her Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis.

"Moldova needs energy security solutions now! We want to buy gas from Romania, and it's important that this happens as soon as possible," Sandu stressed, adding that her nation is the most affected by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

"I trust that the Moldovan-Romanian partnership will help us overcome the difficulties," she said.

The Moldovan leader also said that the country is trying to reduce energy consumption, including natural gas, and is looking for solutions to replace gas with black oil, wood or coal in this winter.

For his part, Iohannis said that Romania will do everything possible to help Moldova ensure energy security.

He said that the two heads of state agreed to take decisive steps regarding the interconnection of the electricity networks of the two countries.

The two Presidents also discussed "the very important role and potential of the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline as an essential element in the energy security architecture of the Republic of Moldova", Iohannis added.

The 150-km pipeline was completed in late 2021 to ensure the energy diversification of Moldova, a country completely dependent on Russian energy.

It interconnects the networks of gas from the two countries and provides Moldova access to the European energy market.

However, local media reported that the gas pipeline has not been effectively utilised since its completion.