Ex-US ambassador: Moldova needs global democratic support against Russian attacks
Former U.S. Ambassador to Bucharest Adrian Zuckerman argues that the Republic of Moldova "must receive assistance from all democratic countries" to counter hybrid and economic attacks orchestrated by Russia. He claims that the Kremlin is investing hundreds of millions of euros to destabilize Moldova through illicit funds, corrupt politicians, and propaganda campaigns.
Zuckerman mentions that the main stake is the defense of democratic and European values, in the face of Moscow's attempts to undermine the electoral process on September 28.
"Democracy must be maintained. People do not want to return to how things were 35 years ago. The people of Romania do not want that. The people of Moldova do not want that. The only man is Putin and his gang who are trying to subjugate a democratic country", Zuckerman stated in an interview for Digi24.
The former US ambassador to Bucharest drew a parallel between the Kremlin's methods and Nazi tactics from the interwar period: "I see many, many parallels between what Putin is doing now and what Hitler was doing in 1938".
Zuckerman warned that Russia is spending vast amounts of money to destabilize the Republic of Moldova, including through propaganda campaigns, hybrid attacks and corruption of the political class. “Moldova is now a target of the Russians, where they spend hundreds of millions. I heard that they have spent around 300 million euros so far, black money, cyber attacks, hybrid attacks and even more physical attacks. I heard that 74 people were arrested and there were others in the past”, explained the former ambassador.
Also, he mentioned that the proper choice of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova is not only related to joining the European Union, but to assuming some fundamental values:
“We did not want to express that it must be necessary to be with Europe, but it must have the same European values. If the people of Moldova want to join the European Union, let them do so. However, to make this decision, they must share the same values. That is, democratic values, of freedom, of religion, freedom of free speech, of free voting”, he concluded.
We would like to point out that eight ambassadors of the United States of America, who, at different times, were on mission in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, sent a joint message before the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova, in which they warn that a possible victory of pro-Russian forces could seriously affect regional security and would provide the Kremlin with a new foothold for aggression against Romania and Ukraine.
The message of the American diplomats, sent to the press, states that "The Republic of Moldova is on the front line of a historic confrontation: defending democracy in the face of the hybrid war waged by the Putin regime — propaganda, corruption, intimidation and destabilization".
The ambassadors express their support for the leadership of the Republic of Moldova and for the country's citizens, who are choosing the European path. "We stand with President Maia Sandu, the Government, the Parliament and every citizen who chooses democracy, justice, European integration and real sovereignty. There is no middle ground between freedom and tyranny. Moldova's choice is the choice of the free world: freedom", the diplomats said.
