In a show of support for Moldova's pro-European government, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden is currently in the ex-Soviet country, emphasising Europe's commitment amidst growing geopolitical tensions.

Since the beginning of this year, Ukraine and Moldova have officially emerged as new accession candidates for the European Union. Moldova applied for membership in March, but the country remains divided between pro-Russian and pro-European factions.

Luxembourg's Prime Minister, Luc Frieden, is currently visiting Moldova with a delegation to support the pro-European government, following his visit to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday. Frieden emphasised that these visits are geopolitically connected and dismissed suggestions that his trip to Moldova was the "easy" trip following his visit to the "problem state" of Hungary.

Frieden stated that he reaffirmed to Orbán that support for Ukraine is crucial, stating that abandoning Ukraine would imply accepting the use of violence to alter borders. "We can discuss many things, but we cannot condone violations of international law," Frieden said. He also assured Moldova's leaders, including President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean, of Luxembourg's support.

Moldova shares a border with Ukraine and is also impacted by the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria, which declared independence in 1990 but remains unrecognised internationally. Previously dependent on Transnistria for energy, Moldova now sources most of its electricity from Romania.

In October, Moldova will hold presidential elections and a referendum on EU membership. Russian influence, particularly through misinformation, poses a challenge, making October a critical month for Moldovans.