Thanks for joining!

Speakers:

🔴 @pociumban.bsky.social, German Council on Foreign Relations @dgap.org

🔴 Ionela Maria Ciolan, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies

🎙️ Amanda Paul, Deputy Head of Europe in the World Programme and Senior Policy Analyst, @epc-official.bsky.social, will moderate the discussion.

The goal is simple: spread fear & confusion. With ~40% undecided voters, intimidation, disinformation, economic grievances are weaponised to keep MD vulnerable.The stakes: a reform-oriented govt would accelerate MDs break from RUs grip & strengthen democracy. That’s exactly what the Kremlin fears.

From wild claims the EU plans to “occupy” MD to TikTok #Tarot readers predicting fraud, Moscow’s tactics are absurd and dangerous. Just in 2 months, 100k fake accounts & 250k spam accounts were wiped from TikTok. Church, cyberattacks, diaspora manipulation, & provocateurs are part of the playbook.

Also moderated a great discussion this week with Deputy PM Cristina Gherasimov and former PM Natalia Gavrilița—two incredibly thoughtful and inspiring leaders—on Moldova’s EU path and the road ahead, at Robert Bosch Academy with @dgap.org #EUIntegration #ThinkTankLife

This week I spoke with @liliebayer.bsky.social from @reuters.com about what’s at stake for both #Ukraine and #Moldova in the accession process. 📎 www.reuters.com/world/moldov... @dgap.org

Decoupling would risk feeding the #Russian narrative that Ukraine is being left behind and that the EU isn’t serious. Keeping the process moving for both countries is about credibility of the EU as a geopolitical actor.

On #EUaccession, Moldova has been clear: no request to decouple from #Ukraine. It’s vital that both Moldova and Ukraine can move forward with opening negotiation clusters. Ukraine isn’t just at war—it’s also protecting Moldova.