Moldova's future is at the 'heart of Europe,' German minister says

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has reaffirmed Germany's commitment to supporting Moldova on its journey toward European Union membership, as the country prepares for a presidential election and EU referendum this Sunday.

"The people of Moldova are deciding on their future. I am convinced that this future is at the heart of Europe," the top German diplomat said in Berlin.

She described the election and the referendum on Sunday as important milestones for the small country sitting between Ukraine and Romania, with voters set to decide whether to enshrine the goal of EU accession in the constitution.

Pro-European President Maia Sandu is running for a second term, aiming to enshrine Moldova's aspiration to join the EU in the constitution. However, there are strong pro-Russian forces in the country with a population of around 2.5 million, making the vote a critical juncture for its future.

Baerbock criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the election, stating that "Putin's Russia is also attacking elections in Europe with hybrid methods: with targeted influence, cyber attacks, and disinformation spread by his army of bot users on social media."

Moldova was defying these threats with the support of the Moldova partnership platform, which the German government launched alongside partners just 40 days after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in Februar 2022, Baerbock added.

"The country has freed itself from the stranglehold of blackmail with Russian gas," the minister said, praising ongoing judicial and anti-corruption reforms.