US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces $135 million aid to Moldova to counter Russian interference

The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, promised $135 million to Moldova. $85 million will help improve energy infrastructure, and $50 million will support energy and farming industries while fighting Russian disinformation. This aid aims to help Moldova reduce its reliance on Russian energy and boost its economy. Moldova, a country with about 2.5 million people, used to depend entirely on Russia for natural gas. The recent aid from the U.S. has helped Moldova diversify its energy sources and strengthen its economy. This assistance also helped Moldova pay for energy bills during the winter. Antony Blinken's visit to Moldova, part of a NATO meeting in Prague, comes as Moldova and Georgia face potential threats from Russia. There are concerns about Russian influence operations in these countries. Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine aspire to join the European Union, but face challenges from Russia. Moldova has accused Russia of waging a "hybrid war" through interference in elections and spreading disinformation. The U.S. is supporting Moldova and Georgia in their democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. The situation in these countries will be discussed at the NATO meeting in Prague before a summit in Washington to celebrate NATO's 80th anniversary.