French President Emmanuel Macron pledged France’s “determined support” for Moldova and its goal of joining the European Union during a visit with the leaders of Germany and Poland on Wednesday. The trip came on the eve of campaigning for next month’s parliamentary elections amid claims of Russian interference.
The trip to the former Soviet republic, which borders Ukraine, came on the eve of campaigning for next month’s parliamentary elections amid claims of Russian interference.
Standing alongside President Maia Sandu, the three leaders praised Moldova’s resilience against what they said was a campaign of meddling from Russia.
"Kremlin propaganda tells us that Europeans want to prolong the war and that the European Union oppresses people,” Macon said about Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“These are lies. Unlike Russia, the European Union threatens no one and respects everyone's sovereignty."
European leaders are concerned that Russia has troops stationed in a largely Russian-speaking region that broke away from Moldova’s control in a brief war in the early 1990s.
Sandu's pro-European allies face a stiff challenge in the election on 28 September.
The country has seen power alternate between pro-Western and pro-Russian political groups for decades.
Moldovans voted narrowly in favour of pursuing EU integration in a referendum last year, but Sandu's opponents are mounting a strong challenge.
(with Reuters, AFP)
