Merz, Macron and Tusk express support for Moldova's EU membership and pledge solidarity with Russia

The German chancellor Friedrich Merz, the French president Emmanuel Macron and the Polish premier Donald Tusk expressed, on Wednesday, in Kishinev their support for Moldova’s EU membership during the celebrations dedicated to the Independence Day of the Republic of Moldova, promising solidarity against the Russian aggression, says Reuters, AFP and EFE.   'The door to the European Union is open,' Merz said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Moldovan President Maia Sandu, whose pro-European allies face a tough challenge in next month's parliamentary elections.   The German chancellor stressed that European states will continue to support ongoing reforms in Moldova so that the first chapter in EU accession negotiations can be opened in the coming months. Merz assured that the EU will defend the liberty and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova, as ‘ we all know how much Moldova is suffering due to the Russian aggression war against Ukraine’.'This war must come to an end (...), but not at any price', says the German chancellor, who says Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Moldova, like Ukraine, to return to Russia's 'sphere of influence'. Brussels does not want a 'Ukrainian capitulation', because if that were to happen, it would only help Putin buy time for future military interventions, the German chancellor added.Brussels does notThe three European leaders promised technical and diplomatic support for Kishinev in its fight against the Russian hybrid attacks which have dramatically increased since the beginning of the Russian invasion on a large scale in Ukraine of 2022.In his turn, Macron expressed France’ s ‘firm support’ for the Republic of Moldova and for its candidature to the European Union, denouncing Russia’s ‘lies’ during this symbolic visit to Kishinev.'Kremlin propaganda tells us that the Europeans want to prolong the war and that the European Union is oppressing the peoples. These are lies. Unlike Russia, the European Union does not threaten anyone and respects everyone's sovereignty,' the French president told the same press conference.The European Union is a’ union of prosperity and peace. It is not like, absolutely, the Soviet Union’ , Macron said. Addressing his hostess, the pro-European president Maia Sandu, the French president insisted that the EU ‘is a community of democratic values and of human rights’. Therefore, 'the citizens of the Republic of Moldova have understood that EU membership is a historic opportunity for the future of their country, an opportunity for prosperity and security', which will lead to the modernization of infrastructure and the economy and will open up a market of 450 million consumers,’ Macron went on to say.   In his turn, the Polish premier Donald Tusk described as ‘ a miracle’ what the Republic of Moldova has achieved in the last years. However, mentioning Poland’s experience, which had to wait for the break-up of the Soviet Union in order to be free, he asked president Maia Sandu to be patient.The three European leaders now in Chisinau will attend Independence Day celebrations in the evening and will address a mega-concert. (Photo:https://www.facebook.com/)