Moldovan president tells Austrian daily: if Russia takes power in Moldova, country to become base for hybrid warfare against EU

President Maia Sandu, in an interview with the Austrian daily Der Standard, warns about the boosted attempts of destabilization on behalf of Russia, in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections, due in next autumn. According to the head of state, a potential success of pro-Russian forces would transform Moldova into a forward post of the Kremlin's hybrid warfare against the European Union.

“Russia tries to undermine Moldovan institutions, using a wide range of tools to interfere with our political processes and elections,” Maia Sandu said.

The Moldovan president emphasized that Moscow resorted to illegal party financing, manipulation in Gagauzia, cyber-attacks, vote-buying schemes, and massive misinformation campaigns.

The head of state noted that Moldovan authorities had identified “cases of vote-buying among 140,000 citizens in the first round of the 2024 presidential elections,” which represents about 8–10 per cent of the electorate.

Maia Sandu reiterated Moldova's firm commitment to joining the European Union alongside Ukraine. “We are proud to have embarked on this path together and we want to reach the destination together,” the head of state affirmed. “Moldovan democracy can survive only as part of the European Union,” Maia Sandu stressed.

The president estimated that the screening process would be completed by September 2025 and that the authorities were prepared to open negotiations on the first accession chapters.

In the interview with the Austrian publication, Maia Sandu said that “peace in Moldova is protected by Ukraine.” She highlighting the danger of a possible democratic regression: “If Russia comes to power in Moldova, the country will become a base of hybrid war against the European Union.”

As for the energy sector, the president said that Moldova was no longer dependent on Russian gas, except for the Transnistrian region. A direct high-voltage line will be completed by the end of this year, which will reduce energy vulnerability.