NYT: Putin has instructed the Russian security services to work towards weakening NATO and the EU by 2026
Western intelligence services believe that Moscow is attempting to strengthen its influence in Moldova and use the country to exert pressure on Ukraine and Europe. According to the NYT, Russia has not abandoned its plans to extend its control over southern Ukraine.
The Russian leadership regards the destabilisation of Moldova as one of the tools for exerting pressure on Europe and Ukraine. According to The New York Times, Western intelligence services believe that the Kremlin has not abandoned its plans to weaken Western alliances and potentially expand Russian influence in the region.
The newspaper reports, citing sources familiar with Western intelligence data, that Vladimir Putin allegedly tasked the Russian military leadership at a closed-door meeting last December with bringing about “the collapse of NATO and the EU from within” by 2026.
The publication claims that Moscow regards Moldova as one of the key elements of this strategy. Although the country is a member of neither NATO nor the European Union, its location between Ukraine and the Alliance’s member states gives it particular strategic importance.
Why is the Kremlin interested in Moldova?
According to Western intelligence agencies, Moldova is one of Russia’s main areas of interest after Ukraine. The NYT reports that Moscow is already using various tools to influence the political situation in the country. Among these, the newspaper’s sources cite voter bribery schemes and other operations aimed at interfering in internal affairs.
It is believed that one of the Kremlin’s objectives is to weaken or replace Moldova’s pro-European government. In the future, Russia may seek to use the country’s territory to carry out operations against Ukraine and the European Union.
Moscow has not abandoned its plans for southern Ukraine
According to NYT sources, Russia has also not abandoned its plans to seize parts of southern Ukraine. If such a scenario were to materialise, it could allow Moscow to establish a land corridor towards Moldova and secure a ground link with the unrecognised region of Transnistria, where Russian troops are stationed.
The possible use of this route was discussed as early as the first months of the full-scale invasion. The NYT notes that at the start of the war, Alexander Lukashenko displayed a map of the anticipated movements of Russian troops, which also outlined a scenario for an invasion of Transnistria. However, Russian forces were unable to carry out this plan.
What is happening with the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO
The prospect of Ukraine joining NATO remains uncertain. Western allies are considering alternative options for strengthening Ukraine’s defences, including investment in the Ukrainian defence industry, which should help the country to counter Russian aggression more effectively.
Earlier, Valeriy Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK and former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, expressed scepticism about the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. US President Donald Trump has also stated that he does not see Ukraine as a member of the Alliance, although he has spoken of the possibility of providing Kyiv with substantial security guarantees.