Zelenskyy calls on EU to support Moldova to avoid repeating mistake with Georgia

Zelenskyy compared Moldova to Georgia and warned Europe against making a mistake. Illustrative photo by Nokta.md

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Europe should provide Moldova with real assistance to prevent a repeat of the situation when the world did not support Georgia after Russia's attack.

He said this during a speech at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, 23 September.

According to Zelenskyy, Moldova is now once again defending itself against Russian interference, and the world should not leave the country alone in this challenge.

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«We are helping Moldova, and Russia is trying to do to Moldova what Iran once did to Lebanon, and the global response is again insufficient,» the Head of State noted.

The President emphasised that Europe had already lost Georgia as a partner in the region, while Belarus had been dependent on Russia for many years.

«We have already lost Georgia in Europe. Human rights and the European character of the public administration system are in decline. Belarus has been dependent on Russia for many years. Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova now. It is very important to remember how the world ignored the need to help Georgia after Russia's attack. We lost that moment,» the president said.

He called on the European Union to go beyond words or political gestures and provide Moldova with real support: financial assistance and energy stability.

«It will not cost much for Europe to support Moldova. Not doing so will cost much more. That is why the European Union should help Moldova now with financial and energy support — not just with words or political gestures. We cannot forget about protecting the rights of peoples and the nation,» Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Earlier, Moldovan President Maia Sandu made an emergency video address in which she stated that Russia posed a direct threat to the country's sovereignty and independence. According to her, if the Kremlin's destabilisation plan is implemented, Moldova's territory could be used as a springboard for an invasion of Odesa region.

As a reminder, parliamentary elections will be held in Moldova on 28 September. A number of searches have already been conducted in the country on suspicion of Russian interference in the elections.