Moldova's pro-European President Maia Sandu has called out Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions amid the escalating war and denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Sandu, whose country is situated between Romania and Ukraine, has long condemned Russia's invasion of her country and identified the Kremlin as the main threat. Russia accused her of destroying diplomatic relations and promoting Russophobia.
Molvoda President Slams Vladimir Putin
The President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu attends the 27th Forum 2000 conference held under the theme "For a Democratic World Order" on October 16, 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic.
On Wednesday, Sandu said in an interview that Putin must be stopped in his war against Ukraine, or all of Europe will pay a much higher price. "You must understand that Putin will not stop unless he is stopped," she said.
Sandu noticed that Ukraine has been making the greatest sacrifice since Russia's invasion. She claimed that maintaining aid for Ukraine was in the interests of all parties, but she made no direct reference to procedural delays in funding from both the United States and the European Union.
Despite the ongoing dispute, her belief in the solidarity of world democracies has remained, hoping that Ukraine will continue to receive support. She also vowed to help train and support 80,000 Ukrainian nationals, the highest proportion of the local population in Europe, who had sought refuge in her country.
The EU decided to open membership discussions with Moldova and Ukraine this month, a lengthy process requiring applicants to update their legal frameworks and adhere to EU standards.
Sandu has pushed for Moldova, one of Europe's poorest nations, to join the European mainstream since defeating her pro-Russian predecessor in 2020.
This Monday, she declared that she would run for reelection the following year. She requested a referendum to endorse her policies in the parliament, controlled by her allies from the Party of Action and Solidarity.
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Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
World leaders have strongly condemned Russia's massive invasion of Ukraine, which involved the entry of Russian forces into the former Soviet country from three fronts and the firing of missiles on multiple areas close to the capital, Kyiv.
In the morning, soldiers and armor from Belarus in the north and Russia-annexed Crimea in the south crossed into eastern Ukraine from the Russian border.
In Putin's speech, he reiterated a false accusation regarding the Donbas region of Ukraine, which Russian separatists supported. He decided to launch a special military operation to defend those who had endured eight years of mistreatment and extermination at the hands of the Kyiv dictatorship.
However, he said, "We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force." He warned people who would try to interfere and threaten the country.
He also informed the people that Russia would have an immediate response that could lead to consequences they have never experienced in their history.
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