Ukrainian President calls for urgent EU funding and energy support as Moldova faces parliamentary vote Sunday with Moscow accused of spending millions to undermine democratic process
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning to the United Nations General Assembly that Europe risks losing strategically vital Moldova to Russian influence, comparing Moscow’s interference to Iran’s historical role in Lebanon and urging immediate European action ahead of Sunday’s crucial parliamentary elections.
Speaking to the 193-member body on Wednesday afternoon in New York, Zelensky painted a grim picture of Russian expansion across Eastern Europe, warning that Moldova could follow Belarus and Georgia into Moscow’s orbit unless the European Union provides urgent financial and energy support beyond “wars or political gestures.”
Russia is trying to do to Moldova what Iran once did to Lebanon and the global response again is not enough,” Zelensky told assembled world leaders. “We have already lost Georgia in Europe, and for many, many years, Belarus has also been moving towards dependence on Russia. Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova too.”
Stakes Beyond Chisinau
The Ukrainian leader’s intervention comes as Moldova prepares for parliamentary elections on 28 September that many view as a pivotal choice between continued European integration and a return to Russian influence. The vote takes place against a backdrop of alleged massive Russian interference, with Moldovan authorities arresting 74 people on Monday following raids targeting an alleged plot to organise “mass riots” ahead of the polls.
“For Europe, supporting the law of stability is not costly, but failing to do so will come at a much higher price,” Zelensky warned, calling for immediate EU assistance with funding and energy support rather than mere political declarations.
His remarks carry particular weight given Ukraine’s 1,222-kilometre border with Moldova and the presence of Transnistria, a Russian-backed breakaway region hosting approximately 1,500 Russian troops. The two countries are currently on a joint EU accession track, with Moldova having been granted candidate status in June 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Interference Campaign
Documents seen by Bloomberg reveal that Russia has devised a multi-pronged strategy coordinated directly by the Kremlin to undermine President Maia Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) and ultimately see her removed from power. The plan, finalised in spring, reportedly includes recruitment of Moldovan voters abroad, organising protests, and a sophisticated disinformation campaign.
European officials cited by Bloomberg suggest Russia may have allocated up to €300 million (£254 million) for election interference, comparable to approximately 1% of Moldova’s GDP. This follows the 2024 presidential election where Russian interference involved an estimated €150 million, with reports that over 138,000 people, about 10% of the active electorate, received payments through Russian banks to influence their votes.
Moldovan prosecutor Victor Furtuna revealed that most of those arrested on Monday were aged between 19 and 45 and had received training in Serbia. The searches are related to a criminal case into the preparation of mass riots and destabilisation, which were coordinated from the Russian Federation through criminal elements,” police stated.
Energy Weapon and Propaganda
Zelensky’s comparison to Lebanon resonates particularly as Moldova faces an energy crisis following Russia’s halting of natural gas supplies through Ukraine. The Ukrainian president emphasised that Moscow has weaponised energy supplies across Europe, warning that Russia “is weaponizing nuclear energy” and other essential resources “not only against our country but against all of yours as well.”
A sophisticated pro-Russian disinformation campaign dubbed “Matryoshka” has ramped up efforts to discredit Moldova’s pro-European government. According to transparency tool NewsGuard, the operation has promoted false claims that President Sandu embezzled $24 million (£20 million) and is addicted to “psychotropic drugs,” targeting Moldova with 39 fabricated stories in three months since elections were called.
Historical Context of Russian Influence
Zelensky’s warnings about Belarus and Georgia reflect decades of Russian efforts to maintain influence over former Soviet territories. Belarus, under Alexander Lukashenko’s authoritarian rule since 1994, has become increasingly dependent on Russia, particularly after the 2020 protests and subsequent Western sanctions. The country served as a staging ground for Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and now hosts Russian tactical nuclear weapons.
Georgia’s situation remains equally concerning, with Russia occupying approximately 20% of its territory following the 2008 war. The regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain under Russian military control, with Moscow signing “integration treaties” that Georgian officials have condemned as “creeping annexation.
“Each decade Russia starts a new war,” Zelensky told the assembly. “Parts of Moldova and Georgia remain occupied. Russia turned Syria into ruins. And if it hadn’t been for Russia, the chemical weapons would have never been used there in Syria. Russia has almost swallowed Belarus.”
Critical Electoral Crossroads
Recent polling suggests President Sandu’s PAS party may win a plurality with around 25% of the vote but fall short of an outright majority, potentially forcing a coalition with pro-Russian parties. The opposition Patriotic bloc, led by former president Igor Dodon, is overtly pro-Russian, whilst two other major contenders maintain ambiguous positions on European integration.
The European Parliament has already condemned Russia’s “escalating malicious activities” in a resolution approved by 508 votes, calling for additional EU sanctions against individuals undermining Moldova’s sovereignty. MEPs highlighted the role of pro-Russian Moldovan oligarchs and Russia’s state-funded RT network in carrying out voter fraud schemes, cyber operations, and information warfare.
Swedish government officials, who have provided more than SEK 1 billion (£85 million) in reform support to Moldova since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, warned that “Russia is working in a systematic and sophisticated manner, with major resources to sow division in Moldovan society.”
Beyond Political Gestures
Zelensky’s call for concrete action rather than symbolic support reflects frustration with the international response to Russian aggression across Eastern Europe. “We must not forget about protecting the rights of people and the rights of nations,” he stated, emphasising that declarations alone cannot counter Moscow’s hybrid warfare tactics.
The Ukrainian president’s intervention underscores the interconnected nature of security challenges facing Eastern Europe. A pro-Russian victory in Moldova could not only derail EU integration for both Moldova and Ukraine but create a significant new security threat on Ukraine’s southwestern frontier, potentially opening another vector for Russian pressure.
As Moldovans prepare to vote on Sunday, the outcome will determine not just the country’s political direction but test whether a small European democracy can withstand what the Atlantic Council describes as “a multi-vector war” waged by Moscow through cyberattacks, propaganda, vote-buying, and energy manipulation.
With Europe watching anxiously, Zelensky’s warning reverberates: the cost of inaction may prove far higher than the price of support.
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Image Credit:
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly — photo by President of Ukraine, CC BY 4.0.
