“While just a few hundred kilometers from your capital, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is ongoing, it’s crucial to underscore that Moldova’s choice to join the European Union is one in favor of peace and the rule of law,” said Macron.
The French president went on to denounce “Kremlin propaganda,” which he said aims to paint Europeans as warmongers trying to prolong the war in Ukraine.
“Those are lies,” said Macron. “Unlike Russia, the European Union threatens no one and respects the sovereignty of all … The European Union is in no way the Soviet Union.”
The rare visit and endorsement by three of Europe’s most powerful leaders is designed to offer an electoral boost for Moldova’s pro-EU President Maia Sandu ahead of a critical parliamentary election on Sept. 28.
Sandu, who was narrowly reelected president last year and has staked her future on Moldova’s EU membership bid, warned in her speech about continued efforts by Russia to sway the election in Moscow’s favor and deceive voters about the EU’s true intentions in Ukraine and elsewhere.
A country of 2.4 million people sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is a key target for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has opted for hybrid tactics — from disinformation campaigns to vote-buying — to try to gain control of the country while waging a kinetic war against Ukraine.
