Why Moldova is second on Putin’s list: what The New York Times learned the Kremlin’s plan to ‘collapse’ NATO and the EU from within

In late 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin convened a meeting with his military commanders and outlined a strategic goal: the collapse of NATO and the EU from within by 2026, according to The New York Times. Moldova, as reported by the newspaper’s sources, is deemed crucial to this plan. Western intelligence officials suggest that the Kremlin's primary objective is Ukraine, followed by Moldova's conquest.

At the same time, Putin publicly dismissed European leaders' warnings of a Russian attack, dismissing the claims as "nonsense."

Moldova is seen as an ideal base for further Russian aggression against Ukraine and the West. The Kremlin has attempted to influence Moldova's parliamentary elections held on September 28, 2025, employing a range of tactics including cyberattacks, disinformation, bribery, and even coercion of priests to sway voter opinions. The elections were deemed pivotal to Moldova's integration with the EU.

In preparation for the elections, a training camp was established in Serbia, attended by Moldovan citizens trained by Russian military intelligence operatives. Similar camps were held in Bosnia and Moscow, where participants were taught combat techniques, arson, and drone handling. Moldovan authorities, aware of the risks, intercepted and detained several of these trainees before the elections.

Despite these efforts, Moldova's cybersecurity measures successfully thwarted the cyberattacks launched by Russia. President Maia Sandu's party retained their parliamentary majority, though The New York Times acknowledges that while they "won the battle," they "did not win the war."