Moldova's Parliament, which is controlled by pro-Western lawmakers, approved a 10-year defense strategy on Thursday calling for increased defense spending as part of a plan to join the European Union. The pro-Russian opposition in Parliament derided the document as pointlessly aimed directly at Moscow for its small size and small armed forces. The document, presented by the country's defense minister, Anatoly Nosati, aims to raise defense spending to 1 percent of GDP by 2030. Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, lies between Ukraine and Romania, a member of the European Union. It is a candidate country for the European Union and plans to join the European Union in 2030. Moldova is not considering joining NATO because its constitution provides for the country's neutrality. The document says Moldova's neutrality requires it to strengthen its partnerships with different countries and international organizations in order to strengthen its defense. The document mentions the risk of the conflict in Ukraine spreading, especially near the Black Sea port of Odessa, close to the Moldovan border.