Germany pledges continued support for Moldova

BERLIN

Germany on Friday pledged strong support for Moldova amid growing challenges faced by the country due to the war in neighboring Ukraine.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz met Moldova’s President Maia Sandu in Berlin to discuss latest developments in the region, the German government spokesman said in a statement.

“The Chancellor has underlined that Germany and the European Union will continue to support the Republic of Moldova,” Steffen Hebestreit said, adding that their talks were mostly focused on Russia-Ukraine war, and its impact on Moldova.

Since Russia's war on Ukraine began in February, more than 500,000 Ukrainian refugees crossed into the small Eastern European country, according to official figures. Nearly 80,000 have decided to stay in the country.

Russia’s announcement of a partial military mobilization this week and escalated tensions have triggered fears of another refugee wave from Ukraine.

The country is also heavily dependent on Russian gas and fears that the escalation of the conflict could lead to gas supply disruptions this winter.

In a tweet, Sandu thanked Germany “for support & vote of confidence for our EU candidate status” and “the support that helps us cope with the consequences of Russia’s war on Ukraine.” She added that they also discussed ways of deepening bilateral ties in energy, economy and security.