Moldova – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sent a warning to Moldova at last month’s meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Skopje, Macedonia, informing them that they will be „the next victim of the hybrid war launched by the West against Russia.”
Lavrov’s comments seem motivated by Moscow’s disappointment with the pro-Western stance that Moldova’s government has adopted since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, when Chișinău opted to adopt most of the same sanctions against Moscow as Brussels. This included Moldova ceasing to buy natural gas directly from Russia. These measures are motivated by Moldova’s desire to bring about better relations with the European Union.
Moscow has expressed its disappointment in a nation that it sees as being within its sphere of influence by embargoing certain Moldovan goods, such as most recently one on Moldovan fruits and vegetables. But given that Moldovan has already stopped using Russian gas, it has few effective means of pressuring the country at its disposal.
Lavrov focused in his remarks on Transnistria, blaming the European Union and NATO for preventing a successful resolution to the situation in the breakaway state that is internationally considered part of Moldova. He then claimed that Moldova itself will be the West’s next target for sabotage.
The Moldovan government’s public statements indicated that it was refusing to be intimidated, however, with the country’s foreign ministry condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and calling out Moscow for employing an “entire arsenal of destabilization” against the country.
“The Republic of Moldova is going, irreversibly, on the European path and today, more than ever, we insist on the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from our territory,”the foreign ministry’s statement continued.
“Russia’s statements, whether today or on previous occasions, are part of the series of hostile actions that the Russian Federation has been trying to implement towards our country over the past 30 years,” the foreign ministry also said. „Fortunately, throughout this time, the partner states in the West have been by our side, helping us to successfully overcome these threats.”