01/31/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/31/2025 18:19
WASHINGTON - In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) sat down with The Counteroffensive's Tim Mak to encourage continued western support for Romania and Moldova, both of which are victims of intensive Russian coercion campaigns in eastern Europe amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Last month, Senator Coons led a congressional delegation to Moldova and Romania, where he saw firsthand Russia's attempts to undermine the independence and democracy of both countries. Romania, a crucial NATO ally, faced widespread Russian interference in their November presidential election that propelled pro-Russia NATO-skeptic candidate Calin Georgescu to first place before the election was annulled. Meanwhile, Moldova also faced intensive Russian interference, including disinformation and vote-buying campaigns, in its October presidential election and a referendum on joining the European Union, which ultimately passed despite Russia's efforts. The country is also dealing with an energy crisis, as Russia started off the year by cutting off gas supplies to Moldova's only power plant, with devastating consequences for Moldovan civilians now struggling through the winter.
In the interview, Senator Coons also encouraged President Trump and Republicans not to abandon Ukraine nearly three years into Russia's full-scale invasion of the country.
The Counteroffensive: TOP DEM SENATOR: DON'T TAKE EYES OFF MOLDOVA, ROMANIA
As violent as the war in Ukraine is, there are broader Russian threats that the United States needs to pay attention to, said Sen. Chris Coons, a senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Coons recently returned from a Congressional delegation to Moldova and Romania, and gave an exclusive interview with The Counteroffensive to share lessons learned.
"Russia has a playbook, and it has a set of plays that it's running," and not just in Ukraine, he said, referring to hybrid warfare techniques that include threats to Moldova's energy security and influence operations in Romania.
"Their sabotage operations are continuing right now across Central and Western Europe: fires and attacks and assassinations; and that their influence operations using social media; cyber attacks; good old fashioned bribery - are actually having an influence on politics," he warned. "These are not isolated."
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