In Bucharest, the war in Ukraine has been on everyone’s lips during the European People’s Parties Congress, and the underlying message is clear: the current situation extends well beyond Ukraine. Representatives of various people’s parties from 44 countries are currently gathered in in the Romanian capital, including twelve European state and government heads. Numerous discussions are occurring behind the scenes, with one of the primary focal points being Moldova.
The gathering is taking place a week after pro-Russian separatists in Transnistria sought Moscow’s protection.
The future of the continent is also at stake, as European values need to be protected from populists aiming to destabilise states through disinformation, according to various leaders. Moldova, located between Romania and Ukraine, stands as one such country caught between peace and war.
In conversation with RTL, Maia Sandu, President of Moldova, explained: “Today, Moldova is safe, and we owe that to the courage of the Ukrainian people. They defend their country, and in doing so, they also protect us. That’s why we are grateful and appreciate all the aid reaching Ukraine. We hope that this help will continue. I appeal all nations to take action now. Putin will continue until he is stopped. We aspire to be part of the free world; we want both our countries, Moldova and Ukraine, to join it. We aim to strengthen our democracy and become members of the European Union.”
Sandu continued: “Since the start of the Russian aggression, Ukraine has successfully stabilised the situation in the country, particularly in the Transnistria region. Currently, Russia is unable to carry out substantial operations in that region. The Russian strategy involves undermining democratic processes by promoting pro-Russian politicians and those sympathetic to the Kremlin in Chisinau. Their aim is to use Moldova against Ukraine. But, the Moldovan people have made their decision: they aspire to be part of the free world and are steadfastly working towards this goal.”
In December last year, the EU commenced accession negotiations with several countries, including Ukraine and Moldova. President Sandu extended her gratitude for this particular decision to Luxembourg on Wednesday. She emphasised the imperative to intensively work on meeting all requirements, and any support in this endeavour would be highly appreciated.
Sandu commented: “The war has had a significant impact on Moldova’s economy. We aspire to greater integration into the EU, which involves building bridges and roads among other things. We seek participation in infrastructure projects, and the EU’s support in the fight against corruption is crucial. The EU has assisted us with sanctions against those who attempted to destabilise Moldova. We appreciate the current support and look forward to continued collaboration in the future.”
At the European People’s Party Congress, resolutions were adopted to intensify efforts to impose sanctions against Moscow and its accomplices.
