Putin tries to use Moldova to undermine Ukraine and NATO

Excerpt

Russia’s foreign intelligence agency recently accused NATO of drawing Moldova into “armed conflict with Russia.” Moscow has also claimed that the tiny nation’s intelligence service is cooperating with Ukraine to sabotage its enormous neighbor.

These accusations are not new, but rather part of a long-term Kremlin narrative seeking to justify aggression against Moldova.

As President Trump puts pressure on Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin is searching for new opportunities to challenge Washington. Moldova offers just what he is looking for. The U.S. and its allies should get ready for Russian meddling in Moldova’s elections in September.

Ivana Stradner is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery is a senior director at its Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.