Putin’s Russia not only wants to destroy our European peaceful order. Putin’s Russia is also using hybrid means to meddle in elections in Europe: with targeted interference, cyber attacks and disinformation spread by his army of bots on social media.

Moldova is defying these threats – partly with the help of the Moldova Partnership Platform, which we launched together with partners only 40 days after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The country has freed itself from a stranglehold and can no longer be blackmailed by Russia over gas. And judicial and anti-corruption reforms are underway.

The forthcoming elections in Moldova and the referendum on EU membership are important milestones. The people of Moldova are deciding on their future. I firmly believe that this future is at the heart of Europe. We will continue to support Moldova on its path towards the European Union.