Moldova Urges Quick EU Membership to Counter Russian Threat

Moldova's President Maia Sandu has stated that EU membership is the only guarantee against becoming Russia's next target and hopes for a decision to start negotiations "in the next months." Moldova, a former Soviet republic, already has a breakaway region, Transnistria, where Russia has stationed a small number of troops. Moldova faces several challenges to bring its democratic standards up to EU levels, notably in terms of fighting corruption, and its fragile economy, energy security, and the issue of Transnistria, with its 30,000 pro-Russian population, all need to be addressed as well.