The representative of the Republic of Moldova said that a day earlier, the citizens of Moldova made their choice in the most important election in his country’s history.  “Despite unprecedented pressure, disinformation and interference from the Kremlin, the Moldovan people defended democracy through free and fair elections,” he said.  “This was not merely a political contest, it was a test of resilience — of whether a small nation can withstand relentless attempts to destabilize, divide and erode trust in its institutions,” he said.  “Moldova passed this test.”

The Moldovan people have given a strong mandate for European integration, he said, stressing that the European Union has been indispensable in Moldova’s progress.  This democratic choice was made against the backdrop of hybrid warfare.  “Russia has sought to undermine Moldova’s sovereignty through illicit financing, disinformation cyberattacks and intimidation of voters,” he noted.  “Democracies everywhere are being tested by increasingly sophisticated tools designed to manipulate information, erode trust and distort elections,” he observed, calling for stronger cooperation to safeguard democracies and urging UN members to join forces in protecting democracies from novel threats with novel means.

With a 1,200-kilometre border with Ukraine, which continues to resist the Russian Federation’s brutal aggression, Moldova can stand today in peace because Ukraine stands, he said, condemning the Russian Federation’s war of aggression.  “Every missile that strikes homes and civilian infrastructure violates international law,” he underscored.  “This war is not only against Ukraine — it is a war against Europe, against freedom and against the international order established by the United Nations Charter,” he said, also calling for the complete, unconditional and immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and ammunition from Moldova’s territory, in line with Moscow’s own international obligations.  “This withdrawal must be transparent and under international monitoring,” he added.