The Republic of Moldova respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and considers the referendums held by Russia in a number of regions of Ukraine are fake, said President Maia Sandu. She noted that the Republic of Moldova does not recognize any subsequent action related to these sham referendums, IPN reports.

In a news conference, President Sandu said that the Republic of Moldova’s relationships with the Russian Federation was dramatically affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “We have condemned this war and will continue condemning these actions that go against international law and do not respect the integrity and sovereignty of other states,” noted the official.

The statements were made after a meeting with European Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn, who is in Chisinau on a working visit. The European official said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree on mobilization can trigger a new inflow of refugees, as it happened in a number of states. In this connection, the EU will offer Moldova support so that it is able to cope with eventual waves of refugees.

According to Hahn, the Russian leader’s actions show despair and also confirm the fact that it is a war not a special operation. “I’m fully confident that Ukraine will be able to resist these challenges but we evidently must help, especially the affected countries, such as the Republic of Moldova, which was profoundly affected by this war and we see different manifestations of the way in which it was affected – energy situation, situation with refugees and the impact on trade and the economy,” stated Johannes Hahn.