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The government in Chișinău has tied its fate to Ukraine, according to a false narrative published in the Republic of Moldova. The article also reiterates a number of Russian propaganda theses.
NEWS: “Politician and journalist Dmitry Chubashenko believes the current regime in Chișinău is growing increasingly pro-Ukrainian, having become the Siamese twin of the Zelenskyy regime.
“Various Moldovan politicians were accused of getting in bed with the Russians, the Romanians, the Americans or the Europeans. Sandu went even further – she got in over her head in the Ukrainian trench. The Sandu regime has tied its fate close to the Zelenskyy regime, to the point they have become Siamese brothers”, Chubashenko writes.
The journalist points out that Western media writes that Ukrainian cannot win the war. “The West forces Kyiv to sue for peace, and the Sandu regime will also have to bend to its will, because it is one and the same with Kyiv authorities. The Sandu regime has staked all it had on Ukraine’s victory, without having a plan ‘B’”, the expert argues.
NARRATIVES: 1. The Moldovan government pursues the interests of Ukraine to the detriment of the Republic of Moldova’s. 2. Ukraine is losing support from the West, which will force it to make peace with Russia.
BACKGROUND: The Republic of Moldova has repeatedly criticized the war in Ukraine, expressing support for the invaded state. Its support was limited to the provision of insignificant amounts of humanitarian aid. Moldova did not subscribe to international sanctions against Russia, although it seems to have tacitly adopted many of them. Political relations between Chișinău and Kyiv, which over the years have been fraught with difficulties, have improved significantly after Maia Sandu took office as Moldovan president in December 2020, and particularly after the start of the war. Presidents Sandu and Zelenskyy had several rounds of talks in the last 18 months, including in Kyiv and the Republic of Moldova, which Zelenskyy visited on June 1 to attend the European Political Community Summit.
Moscow and Russian propaganda, in addition to political forces and pro-Russian media outlets in the Republic of Moldova, have on numerous occasions criticized the current administration in Chișinău for its support for Ukraine and its condemnation of the Russian invasion.
The statements of certain Kyiv officials, who claimed that Ukraine would be willing to help the Republic of Moldova settle the conflict in Transnistria with military force, in turn generated reactions and controversies. This breakaway region located along the Moldovan-Ukrainian border hosts a small Russian military force and is also home to a huge ammo depot. Russian propaganda has published a number of articles according to which Chișinău and Kyiv authorities have already agreed to attack Transnistria, or that the Republic of Moldova would be willing to join the war effort on the side of Ukraine, which Veridica has previous debunked. Subsequently, Kyiv said it will not undertake any action in Transnistria without Chișinău’s approval, whereas the Moldovan government made it clear it is only looking for a peaceful resolution to the Transnistrian conflict.
PURPOSE: 1. To fuel fears in Moldovan society regarding to risk of the Republic of Moldova entering the war. 2. To put the spotlight on narratives according to which Moldovan authorities are controlled from external forces, and that its policies go against the best interests of Moldova. 3. To promote the idea that Ukraine is already losing the West’s support and that supporting Ukraine is an unprofitable business for Chișinău.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: The Republic of Moldova expressed support for Ukraine in context of the Russian aggression, following the example of every other European state and democratic country. The Republic of Moldova does not provide military assistance to Ukraine, preserving its neutrality status. The fact that Chișinău authorities ruled out the possibility of a Ukrainian military intervention in the separatist region of Transnistria is evidence that the Republic of Moldova honors its commitment to settle the conflict in this region peacefully and that the country’s policies are in the best interest of Moldova, not Ukraine, as the author claims. Chișinău’s stance with respect to the war in Ukraine has helped consolidate relations between the two countries. In fact, the Republic of Moldova’s policies have been hailed by the European Union, something which again favors the Republic of Moldova, a country aspiring to join the community bloc. Within a record amount of time, the Republic of Moldova has succeeded in securing the EU candidate status and expects Brussels to greenlight the start of accession talks by the end of the year. The Republic of Moldova also benefited from a significant amount of financial support from the EU, the USA and international institutions, owing also to the authorities’ attitudes towards the war in Ukraine.
The idea that the West will force Ukraine to sue for peace is another Russian propaganda narrative that tries to suggest Kyiv no longer enjoys the West’s support. Actually, a large number of officials from the EU, NATO and the USA have conveyed clear-cut messages, insisting that Ukraine is free to decide the course of this war, and that NATO and partner states are ready to support this country for as long as it takes. Evidence of that is also the fact that deliveries of weapons and ammo have been arriving in Ukraine uninterruptedly. Moreover, Kyiv is receiving more quality weapons and was also promised F-16 fighter jets. In addition, Ukraine has been receiving a steady cash flow, allowing the country to maintain its economy afloat.
GRAIN OF TRUTH: The Moldovan Government has announced its support for Ukraine in Russia’s war of aggression
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