Photo: Reuters
Moldovan President Maia Sandu has warned of Russia’s attempts to change her country’s political leadership and draw Moldova into a war on the Kremlin’s side. She said this on 19 April on the Moldovan TV channel Jurnal TV.
“The Kremlin is aiming for a change of power in Moldova both during the parliamentary elections in autumn and the presidential elections in 2024. The goal is to bring to power people whom Moscow can control,” Sandu said.
Speaking about the risks, Sandu stressed that not only the future of Moldova is at stake, but also the security of Ukraine:
“We have a 1,200-kilometre-long border with Ukraine. Imagine that overnight this border could turn from a border with a friendly state into a line of contact with a country controlled by Moscow. This poses a threat not only to Ukraine, but also to us.”
Speaking to members of parliament, the president reiterated Chisinau’s strategic position in support of Kyiv:
“Ukraine remains a shield for Moldova. Our moral duty is not to allow ourselves to be drawn into the Kremlin’s scenarios and not to become accomplices in the aggression against the Ukrainian people.”
Sandu’s statement came against the backdrop of increased information and political pressure from pro-Russian forces in Moldova. The Kremlin has repeatedly tried to use the internal destabilisation in the republic to spread its influence in the region and threaten Ukraine’s flank in the southwest.
Moldova, which officially has the status of an EU candidate since 2022, continues to strengthen political and security cooperation with the West, particularly in the face of growing aggression from Russia.
