German Chancellor: "If Ukraine gives in, Russia could attack another country. Maybe Moldova"
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes that the war in Ukraine could end "within 24 hours" if Kyiv were to cease fighting and relinquish its territories to the Russian Federation. However, he cautioned that another nation, such as the Republic of Moldova, could become Moscow's next target. In this regard, Moldovan analyst Artur Leșcu, a military expert at WatchDog.MD, noted that if Russia is not stopped, it will likely extend its ambitions beyond the borders of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
Moldova could be next
According to Friedrich Merz, the Ukrainian president's visit to Washington did not go as Volodymyr Zelensky had hoped. Europe must act and take urgent financial, military and political measures to help Ukraine and force Russia to end the war.
The German chancellor warned that Russia could attack other European countries if Ukraine does not resist.
"It could be Moldova, it could be the Baltic states. Even here, at home, we see every day how Russia launches cyber attacks, how Russia is responsible for disinformation and many other things," Merz stressed, according to Euronews.
Russia maintains its ambition to extend its control as far as possible
Military expert Artur Leșcu commented that, despite current political nuances, the German chancellor's statement is not surprising for those who follow the actions of the Russian Federation.
Russia has been and remains a power with expansionist reflexes and the geopolitical ambition to extend its control as far as possible.
“If it is not stopped, it will not stop at the borders of Ukraine, nor at the Republic of Moldova, nor at the Baltic states. It would not stop at Istanbul or the Côte d’Azur, if it had the chance”, the WatchDog.MD expert emphasized.
Continuous modernization of the army is needed
The threat from the Russian Federation is treated as one of the main security challenges in the new Military Strategy recently adopted in Chisinau. However, the expert argues, knowing the risk is only the first step.
“The next must be the real capacity to ensure that that danger will not touch you. Continuous modernization of the army, modern equipment, regular training and a defense infrastructure capable of responding quickly are needed”, declared Artur Leșcu.
The expert reiterated that it is absolutely necessary for European states to remain in a state of constant vigilance and preparedness for the most diverse security scenarios.
“And here our Western partners have something to learn from us.” “States have an obligation to always prepare for the worst, precisely in order not to allow evil to manifest itself”, the commentator concluded.
Expectations minimized regarding a possible supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine
After the October 17 meeting in Washington, anticipated by a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump declared that he wanted the front line to freeze, asking Putin and Zelensky to “stop where they are” and end the war. At the same time, the American president minimized expectations regarding a possible supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, saying that the solution does not lie in sending these missiles, but in peace negotiations.
