Head of State in Vilnius Parliament: Moldova counts on Lithuania’s voice in Brussels. Help us follow your path in family of free European nations

The Republic of Moldova will be safer inside the European Union, and the EU will be stronger with Moldova as part of it. Our country counts on Lithuania’s voice in Brussels. Help us follow your path in the family of free European nations. Head of State Maia Sandu conveyed the message in the Parliament in Vilnius on Independence Restoration Day.

Maia Sandu emphasized that 36 years ago, on 11 March 1990, Lithuania became free, and Moldova was the first country in the world to recognize this independence.


“Lithuania was the first country to break free from Moscow’s grip and served as a model for every people who dared to believe that what had been taken by force could be regained through will. The Kremlin called this act illegal. The Soviet Union imposed an economic blockade. The world watched, uncertain. And you held your ground. I am proud to say that Moldova was the first country in the world to recognize your independence. In May 1990, Moldova was not a sovereign state. We were part of the Soviet Union. We had no army, no international status, no protection whatsoever if Moscow had decided to punish us for our boldness. And yet, our legislature looked at what you had done and said: this is right, we stand with you. It was our own small act of courage. A gesture of solidarity made before we ourselves were free,” Maia Sandu stated.


The official spoke about Russia’s aggression against the states’ desire to free themselves from Kremlin’s influence—actions that resulted in invasions and loss of human lives.


“On 13 January 1991, Soviet troops stormed your Parliament building and the television tower in Vilnius. Unarmed civilians stood between the tanks and the building that defended your freedom. Fourteen people were killed. Hundreds were injured. You did not retreat. On 2 March 1992, separatist forces supported by Russia, backed by elements of Moscow’s 14th Army, launched an attack against Moldova’s constitutional order. That was the beginning of the war on the Nistru. We lost hundreds of lives. Part of our territory has remained occupied ever since, and Russian troops have been stationed there without our consent for more than thirty years. Different dates, different places — but the same aggressor, the same method, the same logic: that nations have no right to exist outside Moscow’s sphere. That our sovereignty is conditional. That our memory can be rewritten. And that is precisely why memory matters so much — as a form of resilience, as a form of national defence,” Maia Sandu said.


She also referred to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began four years ago.


“Russia is not winning. That country’s economy is functioning in a war regime that it cannot sustain indefinitely. Its army has suffered losses on a scale that Moscow is desperately trying to conceal. And its international isolation, though imperfect, is real. Yet Ukraine is not only surviving, it is innovating. On the battlefield, it is redefining how modern wars are fought, with ingenuity and courage that have amazed military strategists around the world. In its cities, in its institutions, through its people, it shows something even more important: what it means to fight for values, for the idea that a free nation has the right to decide its own future. Every day that Ukraine holds the front line, it keeps Russia away from our borders, away from the rest of Europe — and it deserves all our support,” the President declared.


Maia Sandu also noted that Russia has invested massively in cognitive warfare and has flooded information spaces with falsehoods.


“We must communicate our message better — and say it with conviction. Ukraine’s resilience is extraordinary. Europe’s support, although sometimes slow, has been consistent. Sanctions are having an effect. Weapons help. There is much more to be done. But we must help Ukraine stand tall and we must ensure that Russia’s invasion fails — not only on the battlefield, but also in the minds of citizens across Europe. This battle for minds is not just about Ukraine. It is being fought in each of our democracies. Russia does not only want to win on the ground in Ukraine — it wants to win in our parliaments, in our newsrooms, in our elections,” Maia Sandu added.


The head of state explained that Lithuania, like Moldova, has understood Russia’s nature, and that Europe needs this shared clarity.


“In the face of an aggressive empire, Europe must be the place where people matter, where sovereignty is respected, and where nations defend each other. Lithuania has shown what this means in practice — by building its own defence, contributing to collective defence, investing as much as needed. This is the standard to which Europe must aspire. Your country has been among the most consistent voices in support of Ukraine — in Vilnius, in Kyiv, in Brussels and across the Ocean. You have not hesitated. And Moldova is grateful to you, because supporting Ukraine means supporting Moldova,” Maia Sandu remarked.


She added that Russia has been waging a hybrid war against the Republic of Moldova for years — by financing opposition parties, using energy as a weapon, orchestrating disinformation campaigns, attempting to buy votes, and trying to create chaos.


“We have fought back. We won a referendum to anchor EU accession in our Constitution. We won the presidential elections. We won the parliamentary elections. Our citizens, despite all the pressure, chose Europe. Moldova’s accession to the EU is not just a matter of development or aspiration. It is a matter of security — for us and for Europe. Moldova has made its choice. In 2024, our citizens voted in a referendum — under enormous Russian pressure, with the fear of war, with unprecedented electoral interference — and they said yes to Europe. Moldova is doing its homework. We have eliminated our dependence on Russian gas, going from 100% to 0% in just three years. We are reforming the judiciary. We are fighting corruption. We are aligning every area of public life with EU standards. The European Commission’s reports have acknowledged this. My appeal — spoken openly, in this Parliament, on this anniversary day: a stable and integrated Eastern Europe is not only the security of today; it is the foundation of tomorrow’s peace. That is why the enlargement of the European Union cannot wait. Lithuania’s voice carries weight. We continue to count on it — in Brussels, in the European Council, in every room where our future is being discussed. In May 1990, the parliament of a country that was not yet free looked at what you had done and said: we see you, we stand with you, your freedom is legitimate. Now it is Moldova that is seeking its place in the family of free European nations. You set an example for us in 1990. I ask you, please help us follow it now,” Maia Sandu concluded.


Maia Sandu is paying an official visit to Vilnius on 10–11 March this year, at the invitation of Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. The visit takes place on the 36th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuania’s independence from the Soviet Union, proclaimed on 11 March 1990.

The visit’s agenda includes meetings with Lithuanian counterpart Gitanas Nausėda, Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and Speaker Juozas Olekas. The talks will focus on the European path of the Republic of Moldova, strengthening security and resilience in the region, continued support for Ukraine, as well as bilateral cooperation, including investment opportunities for Lithuanian companies in our country.