The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, in an interview published on Friday by Le Monde, asked for more support for Ukraine, for the protection of her country “while Kyiv resists”, and stated that “Vladimir Putin must be stopped” in the name of European security, reports France Presse.

“Today we feel safe because of the resistance of Ukrainians, but Europe – not only Europe, but all countries that want to respect their borders – must understand that Vladimir Putin must be stopped. If we want peace, we must help Ukraine in all possible ways,” the head of state of the Republic of Moldova said to the French newspaper.

“I think many (Europeans) now understand that Vladimir Putin will not stop. We must (…) find a way to be more effective in supporting Ukraine,” she insisted during an official visit to Paris.

Maia Sandu welcomed the defense agreement signed on Thursday with France, “a first step to help strengthen the security of the Republic of Moldova and the region.”

The agreement foresees the opening of a permanent defense mission in Chisinau in the coming months. However, according to Moldovan diplomatic sources, it does not contain any security guarantees.

The Republic of Moldova is the target of Russian “interference” that is “escalating as” it moves “toward European integration,” according to the president of the country of 2.6 million people.

Chisinau is especially afraid of increasing disinformation in the run-up to the presidential elections and referendum on EU accession, scheduled for autumn, given that 27 member states decided in December to start official accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova.

Maya Sandu: “The situation in Transnistria is stable”

According to experts, Russia, dissatisfied with Chisinau’s rapprochement with the EU, is using, in particular, the Moldovan separatist region of Transnistria to put pressure on Chisinau.

At the end of February, pro-Russian separatists in Transnistria called on Russia to take “protective measures” in the face of, as they say, “increased pressure” from the Republic of Moldova.

However, “the situation in Transnistria is stable,” the President of Moldova claims. “This ‘call’ (from the separatists) sounded at a time when the Tiraspol regime asked for money from Russia, the European Union, the Organization for Economic Development Cooperation and the United Nations, but not for military support.”

It also noted that a “significant number of people” from the region had “applied for Moldovan passports” since the war began.

“Today, 90% of Transnistrians have this passport. This means that they understand the importance of peace and want to link their future with the Republic of Moldova. I also saw how many young people moved to Chisinau to avoid being drafted into the Russian army,” she added.