Republik Moldau

Today, the European Commission and the Republic of Moldova have agreed on a 2-year Comprehensive Strategy for Energy Independence and Resilience of Moldova. It has a two-fold objective of decoupling Moldova from the insecurities of Russian supply of energy and fully integrating it in the EU energy market. Under this strategy, overall support for the Republic of Moldova would account to €250 million for 2025, of which €100 million will be provided by the EU by mid-April.

The Council today adopted a decision extending the mandate of the European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) for a further two years, until 19 February 2027, with a budget allocation of over €44 million for the period from 20 February 2025 until 19 February 2027. … The mandated tasks of the mission remain unchanged … .

[…] the European Union (EU) has proposed a €30 million emergency assistance package in a first step to support the Republic of Moldova in tackling the severe energy crisis provoked by Gazprom.

Russia is using Transnistria to destabilize Moldova and derail its EU accession process. While helping Chișinău tackle its energy crisis, Brussels should directly engage with Transnistria and factor it into its enlargement and economic policies.

Shutting off gas to Transnistria creates energy instability across Moldova, including but not limited to the Transnistrian region. 

On New Year's Day, Russian gas stopped flowing through Ukraine. Kyiv is calling it a "historic" day as its refusal to extend a transit agreement with Russia's Gazprom has halted the return flow of cash to fund the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But in neighbouring Moldova, the move threatens to cause a crisis.

[…] The current gas-transit agreement between Ukraine and Russia ends on December 31 and Ukraine has said it will not extend it. The unrecognized, Russian-backed Transdniestria region depends heavily on Russian natural gas supplied via Ukraine. 

Moldova's Foreign Ministry has condemnd Russia's "aggressive" actions after two Russian drones entered Moldovan airspace and crashed on its territory on November 10.

Moldova's pro-EU President Maia Sandu has claimed a second term after a tense election run-off seen as a choice between Europe and Russia. The Moldovan Central Electoral Commission confirmed Sandu's victory on Monday morning.

Moldova’s National Anticorruption Centre, CNA, said on Wednesday it has imposed fines worth over 2 million lei [over 100,000 euros] for electoral corruption just four days before the second round of the presidential election in which the pro-Western incumbent, Maia Sandu, is fighting to secure a second term.