Moldova’s vote is one more sign of Russia’s weakness in its ‘near abroad’ | Russia-Ukraine war

On September 28, the governing pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) in Moldova emerged victorious in the general election. It not only defeated the Russia-friendly Patriotic Electoral Bloc (PEB) but also confirmed a new geopolitical trend.

Across post-Soviet Eurasia, Russia is losing ground amid the continuing Russian aggression against Ukraine. Paradoxically, Moscow launched the large-scale invasion of its neighbour in 2022 to assert primacy over what it calls its “near…