Moldova: Russian Interference

Baroness Suttie Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Suttie]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports of Russian interference in Moldovan politics.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Chapman of Darlington) (Lab)]

My Lords, Moldova is on the front line of Russian hybrid aggression. Moscow is seeking to degrade Moldovan democracy through disinformation, illicit financing and political subversion. The FCDO has established a cross-government task force to monitor these threats and help Moldova tackle them. This financial year, we are providing £35 million of humanitarian development and defence support to Moldova. We remain steadfast in our support for Moldova’s sovereign choice to pursue freedom, independence and closer ties to Europe.

[Baroness Suttie (LD)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Last Friday, I spoke to a Moldovan friend in Chiinău who runs a project to strengthen the rule of law in Moldova. The funding for that project has now been suspended by the US State Department. Given the decision of the Trump Administration, does the Minister agree that it is more vital than ever to work with our European partners to strengthen institutions, judicial reform and parliamentary democracy in Moldova, as they are key weapons in resisting the disinformation and hybrid threats coming from Russia?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is absolutely right. It is impossible to look at what is happening in Moldova and not consider at the same time what has happened in Ukraine, Georgia and elsewhere. Russia tried everything it could to distort the outcome of the polls that were held earlier this year. Parliamentary elections are approaching, and Russia will have learned from what worked and what did not during that earlier process. We need to step up and use every tool that we can to protect Moldova and make sure that the people of Moldova get the Government that they choose.