French, German, Polish leaders vow 'support' to Moldova in face of Russia

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00:00To celebrate 34 years since cutting ties with the Soviet Union, Moldova threw a party.

00:10And it was attended by three European VIPs.

00:15Crowds erupted in cheers as President Maia Sandu walked on stage joined by France's Emmanuel

00:20Macron, Germany's Friedrich Merz and Poland's Donald Tusk, a show of support for Moldova's

00:25pro-European path, Emmanuel Macron even learning some Moldovan for the occasion.

00:42Their visit comes just weeks ahead of a crucial parliamentary election.

00:46Moldova's governing pro-Western Party of Action and Solidarity has been in power since 2021

00:52but risks losing its majority to pro-Russian blocs.

00:55Maia Sandu has accused Russia of leading an unprecedented interference campaign to undermine the vote.

01:01The cruel war waged by Russia against Ukraine shows us every day that Europe means freedom and peace.

01:11While Putin's Russia means war and death.

01:15Sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova has become a target for Vladimir Putin, particularly

01:23after Brussels agreed to grant official EU candidate status to Moldova in 2022.

01:29Last year, Moldovans voted narrowly in favour of EU accession, but Russia continues to exert

01:34pressure through Moldova's pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria.

01:38The European leaders insisted they would continue to support Moldova during the next stages of its

01:43journey towards membership, but the process will likely take years.

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