First published in Respekt.
Maia Sandu, president of Moldova, on what could end the war in Ukraine, the hardest days of her life, and what would really bring her relief.
Russian aggression in Ukraine has entered its fifth year. How do you expect the war to develop further?
We now see that Ukraine is doing well on the front. And we also see that Russia, on the contrary, is not doing very well. I believe that at this moment the international community must increase economic pressure on Russia; this can push it towards peace talks, which, in my view, Moscow has so far not been interested in. If Ukraine continues to have all the support it needs to go on liberating its territory, and if this is combined with sanctions and economic pressure, then there is a chance that Russia will start taking peace negotiations seriously.
You share a direct border with Ukraine. How is the war affecting your country?
