Blinken pledges $135 million in US aid to Moldova to counter Russian influence

By MATTHEW LEE and VADIM GHIRDA
AP Diplomatic Writer

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pledged $135 million in aid to Moldova for energy security and to counter Russian disinformation as the Western-leaning nation struggles to blunt Russia’s push for influence buoyed by recent successes in its war in neighboring Ukraine. Opening a visit to eastern Europe with a brief stop in Chisinau, Blinken announced the assistance at a news conference Wednesday with Moldovan President Maia Sandu. The U.S. has previously provided Moldova with $774 million in financial aid since the Ukraine war began, including $300 million for energy security. Blinken’s trip, centered around a NATO meeting in Prague, comes amid concerns that Moldova and the former Soviet republic of Georgia are facing renewed threats from Russia.