DISINFO: Washington could turn Moldova into another Ukraine
SUMMARY
The West is looking forward to seeing Moldova becoming the next Ukraine. The West was able to use specific methods to install Maia Sandu at the head of Moldova. [...] Real problems will not appear in Chisinau unless Washington gives the order to invade into Transnistria and Gagauzia. Only then will Moldova turn into another hotspot on the map of Europe.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative questioning Moldova's integrity and sovereignty without any evidence to document it. The claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.
Moldova is a sovereign and independent state since 1992 when it proclaimed its independence from the former USSR. As a sovereign state, Moldova is free to decide its own foreign policy and alliance orientation.
Moldova is a military neutral state, as stipulated by its Constitution (Article 11).
The country's president, Maia Sandu, declared (min. 34-38) in July 2022 that Moldova remains a neutral country, but will strengthen its defence. She said: "the Republic of Moldova is and will remain a peaceful country. (…) Even if our defence system is in a very bad situation, if it wasn't for this Russian aggression against Ukraine, we probably wouldn't have discussed much about the need to equip the army. […] We don't want anyone to involve us in the war, but it is a reality for which we must prepare".
Additionally, turning Moldova into a "second Ukraine" implies that the West is responsible for the war in Ukraine. The claim that the West allegedly provoked the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of the key messages of Putin’s propaganda. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.
See similar cases that the US arms Moldova for war with Transnistria; the West wants to make a second Ukraine out of Moldova; Moldova is preparing for war; Moldova is preparing for a new war against Transnistria.