Moldova at the Center of Putin’s Strategy Against NATO and EU, NYT Reports

The New York Times, citing officials briefed on a secret December 2025 meeting, reports that Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s intelligence services and military to work toward destroying NATO and the EU from within in 2026, with Moldova identified as a key target to destabilize Europe. Western intelligence warns Moscow could test NATO’s resolve this fall through cyberattacks, sabotage, or limited incursions, and might pursue a land corridor through southern Ukraine to Moldova. Moldova’s strategic location, the Russian presence in Transnistria, and its energy vulnerabilities heighten its risk, potentially giving Moscow a foothold to pressure Ukraine while straining the EU/NATO eastern flank.