Moldovan president at Paris Peace Forum says Europe must grow - EU enlargement not act of charity, but of security

Europe must grow - EU enlargement is not an act of charity, but of security, because hybrid threats do not stop at the Schengen Area's border. By integrating democracies on the front line, Europe will become larger, stronger and more resilient, capable of defending its democracies, citizens and way of life. President Maia Sandu has made statements to this effect in a speech delivered at the Paris Peace Forum.

The Moldovan president emphasized that “defending democracy cannot wait for the next crisis” and that Europe “must act as a whole - large, strong and united, in order to withstand hostile powers seeking to divide us.”

“It is an honor to speak here today - at a forum that reminds us that peace begins with truth... and that truth itself must be defended. Before the first missile hit our neighbor, Ukraine, the first weapon was the lie. When the tanks crossed the border, the ground had already been prepared: Ukraine's right to exist had been mocked, and the difference between the aggressor and the victim was deliberately blurred,” said Maia Sandu.

The president noted that, since the large-scale invasion of Ukraine, “the manipulation of truth has reached a frightening level,” and “Moldova is no stranger to Russia's informational warfare.”

Maia Sandu said that Moldova had refused to side with the aggressor and the Kremlin launched a furious campaign to undermine confidence in the state  Republic of Moldova, in order to discredit the leadership, to divide the citizens, and to scare them by spreading the idea that, if Moldova stands with Ukraine and Europe, it will end up like Ukraine.

“This fear, the fear of war, has become a powerful manipulation tool, repeatedly used in the last three elections,” the official stressed.

According to the Moldovan president, other countries, including France, have also been attacked, namely because they firmly support Ukraine and democratic values.

Maia Sandu warned that Russia's informational manipulation goes even further - it seeks to erode citizens' support for European security and defense.

“The goal is to convince citizens that investing in protection is provocative, that strength means escalation. While Russia operates with a war economy and conducts hybrid warfare against multiple countries, it wants European democracies to be politically, economically and mentally disarmed,” the head of state pointed out.

Maia Sandu said that “the Russian propaganda is not a collection of random posts or noisy hosts, but a strategic operation, an orchestrated campaign by an authoritarian regime to distort democracies abroad, erode public trust and falsify elections in democratic states.”

The Moldovan president noted that, at the parliamentary elections held in Moldova, Russia had used disinformation to undermine trust in free and fair voting and subsequently “seize power in Moldova.”

In these conditions, the Moldovan authorities have “worked to build a media space where facts matter - where journalists can work without fear and where citizens can trust the information they receive.”

At the same time, President Maia Sandu noted that, what happened in Moldova during the last three elections, or in Romania last year, can happen anywhere - at national elections or the next European Parliament election.

“If algorithms reward outrage instead of accuracy and opacity instead of accountability, then democracies are fighting on a battlefield they do not control - against foes who exploit it unscrupulously. Therefore, we must ask ourselves: are we still promoting freedom of expression - or are we allowing it to be hijacked by those who want to silence authentic voices? How do we protect freedom while also limiting large-scale manipulation? Moldova's experience shows that we must act together, in order to restore the integrity of the information space,” said Maia Sandu.

In the end of her speech, Maia Sandu expressed gratitude for the constant support in for Moldova’s efforts to withstand Russian hybrid attacks and advance towards EU membership.

President Maia Sandu today participated in the Paris Peace Forum, at an invitation by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Paris Peace Forum, now in its 8th edition, was launched in 2018 at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron and annually brings together country leaders and experts from around the world, in order to discuss solutions to major global challenges - from peace and security to sustainable development and democratic governance.