VARNIȚA, Moldova — The buzzing sound of chainsaws and generators is now common in Varnița, a village of 5,000 that borders Moldova's Russian-controlled region of Transnistria. Located next to the Russian-controlled city of Bender (Tighina), the village is subordinated to Chișinău but depends on the neighbouring breakaway region for its
"An important task now is to help Moldova overcome its energy challenges and prevent Moscow from stirring up social tensions. ... We are ready to help," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 8.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu begins her second term in office on Dec. 24 in unprecedented circumstances. Russian meddling in domestic affairs is widespread, and the Kremlin makes clear their position of not acknowledging Sandu as a legitimate president of her own country. Sandu also begins her term amid an energy
Moldova enacted a state of emergency, as the country gears up for an energy crisis at the start of 2025 following the end of Ukraine's obligations to transport Russian gas through its territory. Moldova, and especially the country's breakaway region of Transnistria, will be hit the hardest following the end
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that prior to the first round of voting and the constitutional referendum on European Union accession, the Moldovan authorities "unreasonably" denied accreditation to five international observers from Russia.
"This is not a final defeat, it is only a lost battle," pro-Russian political newcomer Alexandr Stoianoglo said three days after the vote.
"She is not, as far as we understand, the president of her country because, in the country itself, the majority of the population did not vote for her," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
In a victory for pro-EU factions in Moldova and beyond, incumbent President Maia Sandu defeated her challenger, Alexandr Stoianoglo, in the country's Nov. 3 presidential runoff. Sandu won on Nov. 3 by a margin of about 55.4% to 44.6%, with 99.9% of votes counted. "We proved that
With nearly 99% of votes counted, pro-EU incumbent President Maia Sandu held a 9-point lead over Alexandr Stoianoglo, according to Moldova's election commission.
Moldovan officials have warned that Russia might orchestrate disruptive activities, including potential bomb threats, at polling stations across multiple Western nations during Moldova's presidential runoff election on Nov. 3.
Moldovan presidential candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo claimed he would continue supporting Ukraine, a statement dismissed by incumbent President Maia Sandu during a presidential debate on Oct. 27.
Although Russian interference has taken many forms in Moldova since its independence in 1991, the election and referendum results on Sunday shocked many pro-European Moldovans. Despite opinion polls showing clear support for entrenching the desire for EU accession into the country's constitution, the success of the EU referendum came down
Moscow funneled a total of $39 million in a scheme led by a pro-Russian oligarch aimed at influencing election results by paying ordinary citizens to vote against closer ties with the West, the country's national police chief said on Oct. 24.
Moldovans headed to the polls on Oct. 20 to elect their next head of state and vote on the future of the country’s European Union integration. With over 99% of the votes counted on Monday, the “yes” vote edged ahead at 50.43%, while the “no” camp, which had
Moldova's referendum on joining the EU, which took place alongside elections in the country, occurred under "unprecedented interference" by Russia and its proxies, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said.
"The people of Moldova have spoken: our EU future will now be anchored in the constitution," Sandu said on X. "We fought fairly in an unfair fight—and we won. But the fight isn’t over. We will keep pushing for peace, prosperity, and the freedom to build our own future."
Moldova's upcoming presidential election and EU referendum on Oct. 20 are seen as critical in determining its future direction toward European Union integration.
Moldova's state-owned broadcaster reported on Sept. 28 that vandals had splashed paint across the entrance of its building in the capital, Chisinau. This incident occurred a day after police attributed similar acts to a group trained in Moscow with the aim of destabilizing the upcoming elections. "We are not afraid
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Evghenia Gutul, the governor of Moldova's Gagauzia region, for her ties to pro-Russian oligarch and politician Ilan Shor, the U.S. Treasury announced on June 12.
The changes, which were approved by the parliament the previous week, apply some wartime treason laws to peacetime, extend punishments, and create a new category of laws for assisting a foreign state.
Igor Gorgan, who lost his post after pro-Western President Maia Sandu took office in 2021, continues to use his contacts in the Defense Ministry and pass sensitive information on military aid for Ukraine, the investigation said, citing accessed Telegram correspondence.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Moldova on May 29 to meet with President Maia Sandu and announce support worth $50 million to help Chisinau transition away from Russian energy dependence and further integrate with the EU, amid warnings of heightened hybrid threats from Russia.
The European Council agreed to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova last December. Chisinau has moved closer to Europe over recent months amid repeated warnings that the Kremlin is attempting to carry out a destabilization campaign inside the country's borders.
Moldova and the EU intend to sign a security agreement in the next week, increasing cooperation in the spheres of defense, cyber threats, and foreign interference to "unprecedented levels," the Financial Times reported on May 14.
Members of Moldova's pro-Russian opposition parties met in Moscow on April 21 to establish a new anti-European political bloc aimed at derailing Moldova's planned accession to the European Union, Bloomberg reported.
The bilateral defense pact lays the groundwork for future military training, intelligence sharing, and increased defense consultation between the two countries.
When there was no mention of Transnistria — Moldova's Russia-led breakaway region — in Vladimir Putin's speech on Feb. 29, Moldovans sighed with relief. A day prior, the leaders of the unrecognized breakaway entity, sandwiched between Ukraine and Moldova, had asked Russia for "protection" — a plea that some saw as an invitation
