Foreign Ministers from the Nordic and Baltic countries are going on a joint support trip to Moldova ahead of the weekend's presidential election and referendum on future EU membership.
We're doing it to show our support to Moldova in their approach to the EU, but also to build up resistance to the hybrid activities we see from Russia. We're not telling them how to vote in the election – but we naturally want to ensure they get a chance to choose freely, says Sweden's Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) ahead of Tuesday's group trip to Chisinau.
Russia is estimated to have spent the equivalent of one billion Swedish kronor to get Moldovan voters to turn away from the EU. The EU, in turn, has countered with fine words about what the country has to gain from future membership – something the Foreign Minister still sees as a significant difference.
We're very clear about why we're coming and that we're coming. We're not acting through various intermediaries or in secret, says Malmer Stenergard.
