March 10, 2023
As the White House said today, the United States believes Russia is pursuing options to weaken the Moldovan government, probably with the eventual goal of seeing a more Russia-friendly administration in Chisinau. Just a few weeks ago, President Sandu shared similar concerns about Russian attempts to destabilize Moldova.
As the American Ambassador to Moldova, I know this is a concerning but not necessarily surprising information to many Moldovans who have seen evidence of Russia’s malign influence here for decades. As I have said since Russia first launched its brutal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine: we do not see any immediate, military threat to the Republic of Moldova.
The United States respects Moldova’s sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and its constitutional neutrality. We also respect the choice the Moldovan people made when they elected a government committed to reform and European integration.
The United States remains confident in the ability of this government to deliver on those promises and to successfully manage these threats. The Moldovan people, Moldovan business owners, and international investors should also feel confident that the government of Moldova is well-positioned to implement the meaningful reforms necessary for this country’s economic growth and to defend this country against those from outside who do not wish to see Moldova succeed.
Again, as we said from the White House today, the United States strongly supports Moldova’s political, economic, and anti-corruption reforms and deepening European integration. The Moldovan people have clearly demonstrated they want to look to a brighter future. We will stand with Moldova every step of the way.
