Zelenskyy congratulates Maia Sandu on presidential victory in Moldova

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated Maia Sandu on her victory in Moldova’s presidential elections, expressing Ukraine’s support for the country’s European aspirations and a commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.

In a social media post, Zelenskyy praised the Moldovan electorate for making a decisive choice towards economic growth and social stability. He stated, “The people of Moldova have chosen the path to a prosperous future. Only real security and a peaceful, united Europe can guarantee faith in tomorrow for every person and family.”

Preliminary results from the second round of presidential elections, held on November 3, indicate that Sandu, the pro-European incumbent, secured nearly 55% of the votes against her pro-Russian opponent, Alexander Stojanoglo, who garnered approximately 45%. Sandu’s victory comes after she also led in the first round of voting on October 20, where she fell short of the 50% threshold required for outright victory.

Moldovan authorities have reported instances of alleged Russian interference in both rounds of elections. Following the second round, Stanislav Sekrieru, National Security Adviser to President Sandu, accused Russia of orchestrating mass interference in the voting process, a claim that Moscow has denied.

In addition to the interference allegations, an investigation is underway in Moldova regarding a purported organized effort to airlift voters from Moscow to participate in the elections. Authorities are also probing false reports of bomb threats at polling stations in the UK and Germany, which they view as part of ongoing Russian attempts to disrupt the electoral process.