Other than Ukraine itself, no country has been more deeply impacted by Russia’s invasion than Moldova.
Moldova is a small country that borders Ukraine. It is among the poorest in Europe, yet it has absorbed more Ukrainian refugees per capita than any other country in the world. Moldova is currently governed by a stridently pro-European ruling party, much to the apparent chagrin of Russia which is sponsoring a number of destabilization efforts to undermine President Maia Sandu.
This includes sharply restricting Moldova’s access to gas and electrity, which in turn has caused inflation to soar over 30%. Meanwhile, a fugitive pro-Russian oligarch is fomenting regular street protests.
There is a lot to unpack and to that end, joining me from Moldova’s capital is journalist Paula Erizanu. We kick off discussing destabilization efforts by the Kremlin, before having a wider discussion of the ways in which Moldova has been impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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