The Dutch government has announced a grant to Moldova to "strengthen democracy" and counter what it described as a "hybrid threat from Russia" to the EU candidate country, Russian press reported.
The move comes as the pro-Western government of the former Soviet Republic of Moldova pursues closer ties with Brussels, amid growing domestic tensions.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp shared his commitment to Moldova in a post on X.
The Netherlands is committed to funding 1.5 million euros ($1.7 million) for projects to strengthen Moldovas democracy and resilience, while mitigating the countrys external threats, Veldkamp wrote.
He added that "these projects are also aimed at combating mixed threats from Russia, such as misinformation and preventing election corruption."
Moldova has stepped up efforts to join the EU and NATO since 2020, when President Maia Sandu took office. Re-elected last year in a controversial second round of elections, Sandu has stepped up efforts to accelerate Moldova's EU entry, hoping to end access talks by the end of 2027.
Last month, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that EU countries deliberately set up and inflated the so-called "threat from Russia" to distract public opinion from their own serious economic problems. She added that the EU's economic crisis has reached its peak, largely due to Western sanctions on Russia.
