Joining the EU is ‘matter of survival’, says Moldovan president

Published connected 09/09/2025 - 15:23 GMT+2 •Updated 15:23

Moldovan President Maia Sandu has described EU accession arsenic a "matter of survival" for nan cardinal European authorities and said nan Eastern European state is successful a "race against time" arsenic it heads for captious parliamentary elections, informing of Russian interference and influence.

Sandu was addressing nan European Parliament successful Strasbourg connected Tuesday, 3 weeks up of a 28 September canvass that she described arsenic “the astir consequential” successful nan history of nan state and “a last battle” connected nan country's roadworthy to EU membership.

Sandu’s pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity's (PAS) entreaty has dipped significantly compared to nan past elections successful 2021. It could beryllium outvoted by nan main guidance group, nan Patriotic Bloc (PSRM), a national of 4 parties wide considered very adjacent to Russia.

“[This election’s] result will determine whether we consolidate arsenic a unchangeable populist connected nan way to EU rank [...] aliases whether Russia destabilises us, pulls america distant from Europe,” Sandu told nan Parliament.

Moldova has been a candidate for EU rank since 2022, and negotiations were formally opened successful June 2024. Sandu considers nan accession “a title against time” to protect nan state from Russia, which she described arsenic “the top threat we face”.

But this way was put successful uncertainty past October, erstwhile a referendum to enshrine EU accession successful nan Moldovan constitution won by a very slender majority.

Despite winning, nan pro-EU campy was near dispirited, and Sandu alleged vote-buying and Russian interference.

A twelvemonth on, she is accusing nan Kremlin of nan aforesaid illicit interference. “Russia has unleashed its afloat arsenal of hybrid attacks against us. The battlefield is our elections,” she told nan MEPs successful Strasbourg.

In bid to “capture Moldova done nan ballot box”, Russians are utilizing respective tactics, from illicit financing poured successful done crypto and prepaid cards to cyberattacks, manipulation of societal media, and moreover a vote-buying scheme, she claimed. “Fake emails successful nan names of authorities institutions, deepfakes of politicians, fabricated sites posing arsenic impartial news but serving Kremlin propaganda,” were besides being deployed, Sandu alleged.

“Our institutions estimate that, complete nan people of nan year, Russia spent nan balanced of 1% of Moldova’s GDP to power nan 2024 elections,” she said.

Sandu claimed that Moldovan crime gangs are being recruited for sabotage and intimidation, and Moldovans overseas are besides targeted pinch online campaigns and discouraged from voting. “Last year, fourteen polling stations crossed EU countries received hoax explosive threats to disrupt nan vote,” she alleged.

Moldova’s president warned nan Parliament that her state whitethorn beryllium a “testing ground”, while “Europe is nan target” for Russian interference and hybrid warfare. “The Kremlin’s extremity is clear: move america into a launchpad for hybrid attacks connected nan European Union," she claimed.

Russia's embassy successful Brussels has been approached for comment.