[Interview] ‘We belong in Europe’: Moldovan president Maia Sandu on Russia, Ukraine and her country’s EU path

First published in Respekt.

Maia Sandu, president of Moldova, on what could end the war in Ukraine, the hardest days of her life, and what would really bring her relief.

Russian aggression in Ukraine has entered its fifth year. How do you expect the war to develop further?

We now see that Ukraine is doing well on the front. And we also see that Russia, on the contrary, is not doing very well. I believe that at this moment the international community must increase economic pressure on Russia; this can push it towards peace talks, which, in my view, Moscow has so far not been interested in. If Ukraine continues to have all the support it needs to go on liberating its territory, and if this is combined with sanctions and economic pressure, then there is a chance that Russia will start taking peace negotiations seriously.

You share a direct border with Ukraine. How is the war affecting your country?

Of course, the war affects us. Above all economically: when there is fighting right next to your borders, it does not help attract investors, and it also affects the mindset of your own citizens – especially in the sense that it does not allow you to lure the Moldovan diaspora back home, which triggers further related difficulties. We are grateful that we have peace in Moldova, and this is to a large extent thanks to Ukrainian society – its bravery and courage. It is understandable that we would like to see peace in Ukraine; what happens in that country has an impact on the whole region.

The US administration is currently focused on the Middle East, mainly on the war with Iran, and from some statements by president Donald Trump it seems that this administration is no longer very interested in developments in our region. Given the weakening American presence in Europe, there is a debate about the future of Nato, including whether something like a European Nato could be created, with Ukraine and its experienced army at its centre. Would Moldova want to take part in such a project?

Nato still exists and I believed the Alliance would continue to play an important role. At the same time, it was crucial for European countries to strengthen their defence and increase spending on it. I thought that the aggression against Ukraine had shown everyone that it was not possible to rely only on the protection of others. You have to get your own defence in order above all. That also applied to Moldova, which had not invested in defence for a long time, and we were now trying to make up for that.

You are leading your country through difficult times. There is no direct fighting on your territory, but at the start of the Russian invasion there was a danger that if Moscow managed to seize the Ukrainian city of Odessa, which lies just 60km from your border, it would continue its attack as far as your country. What has been the most difficult moment in office for you personally during these years of war?