The U.S. will provide Moldova with an additional $300 million in energy assistance.
The White House National Security Council's Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, announced this, noting that these funds are intended to address urgent needs caused by the war in Ukraine and to strengthen Moldova's sustainability and energy security, and the United States will continue to strongly support Moldova's political, economic and anti-corruption reforms and deepen its European integration. John Kirby recalled that last month U.S. President Joe Biden met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Warsaw, where they discussed the war in Ukraine, and during the meeting Biden also reiterated U.S. support for Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and emphasized her continued assistance to help Moldova strengthen its political and economic resilience, including its democratic reform program and its energy security. "Like President Sandu, we see no immediate military threat to Moldova. But in recent weeks, President Sandu has warned publicly that Russia is seeking to destabilize her country. We share these concerns. And so, in the spirit of our partnership with Moldova, I am able to share our own information, including from intelligence, about Russian efforts to destabilize Moldova," John Kirby said. As Moldova continues its efforts to integrate with Europe, he said, the U.S. believes that Russia is considering options to weaken the Moldovan government, probably with the ultimate goal of creating a more Russia-friendly administration in Moldova. Specifically, Russian individuals, some of whom are currently linked to Russian intelligence, are seeking to stage and use protests in Moldova as a basis for fomenting an artificial uprising against the Moldovan government. "Additionally, we expect another set of Russian actors to provide training and help manufacture demonstrations in Moldova," John Kirby stressed. He said the U.S. has witnessed unsuccessful Russian attempts to destabilize other European countries over the years, as in the case of Montenegro in 2016. "While the activities of Russian groups attempting to target Moldova are of concern, we should not overestimate their capabilities. I want to emphasize that the Moldovan government is resilient and working effectively to counter these threats. We are confident in Moldova’s democratic and economic institutions and their abilities to respond to these threats, and, of course, we will continue to provide robust support. While these Russian actors plan for destabilization, Russian officials are trying to sow confusion about the stability of Moldova. We have seen Russian officials allege, for instance, that Ukraine is planning to target the separatist region of Transnistria. Let me be clear: These allegations are unfounded, false, and they can create baseless alarm," John Kirby said. He said the U.S. is taking a number of steps in response to Russia's plans to destabilize Moldova. "First, we’re going to build on the information Moldova possesses. We have shared the information I have outlined, as well as additional details, with our Moldovan counterparts – so that they can further investigate, thwart, and disrupt Russian plans. We will continue to work closely with the Moldovan government on this. Second, we will continue to shine a light on the identities and activities of these Russian actors. In October, for instance, we sanctioned nine individuals and 12 entities involved in the destabilization of Moldova, including oligarchs widely recognized for corrupting Moldova’s state institutions, and those acting as instruments of Russia’s global influence campaign. We’re going to continue to target and sanction those associated with Russian mechanisms for destabilization. And third, we will continue to support the people and government of Moldova as they deal with the consequences of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine and as they integrate more closely with Europe," John Kirby emphasized. He recalled that since February 2022, the US has provided more than $265 million in emergency support to help Moldova deal with the economic, energy, security and humanitarian consequences of the war, while maintaining its progress on economic and democratic reforms. To further assist Moldova and the Moldovan economy, the White House administration is working with Congress to provide an additional $300 million in energy assistance to Moldova to address immediate needs caused by the war in Ukraine and to strengthen Moldova's resilience and energy security. // 13.03.2023 – InfoMarket
