Blinken vows US support to wary Moldova as Ukraine war rages

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MATTHEW LEE

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday pledged America’s support to the small, Western-leaning former Soviet republic of Moldova that is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and warily watching Russia’s intensifying war with its neighbor.

Blinken met with senior Moldovan officials who are appealing for international assistance in dealing with more than 120,000 refugees from Ukraine that it is now hosting while also seeking security reassurances against potential Russian aggression.

More than 230,000 people have fled into or passed through Moldova from Ukraine since the war began 11 days ago. Blinken said Moldova’s welcoming of refugees is an inspiration to the world.

“We admire the generosity of hospitality, the willingness to be such good friends to people who are in distress, and, indeed, I want to do everything we can to help you deal with the burden that this has imposed,” he said before heading to Lithuania.



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Moldova's President Maia Sandu greet each other as they arrive to attend a joint news conference following their talks in Chisinau, Moldova, Sunday, March 6, 2022. Blinken is in Moldova pledging America’s support to the small Western-leaning former Soviet republic that is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and warily watching Russia’s intensifying war with its neighbor. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-migration-antony-blinken-moldova-4d05f109bbed14d43dc2eb10d375e622

[mbusby]

1. They have matching noses ...

[blue-wave]

2. For a small country, Moldova has been

a great help with he refugee crisis. Thank You Moldova!!

[oldsoftie]

3. And next on Putins list since they're not NATO members. They're already in W Moldova.

[Tommymac]

4. SecSt Blinken has been a bit of a quiet man until recently.

I think my opinion of him and his diplomatic abilities is very much on the rise.

Most Impressive is the work he has done in the last week.

[quakerboy]

5. Seems like any "neutrals"

should be looking for allies and treatys right now. NATO applications ought to be flying in.

[thucythucy]

6. There is a Russian supported separatist movement

already entrenched in the western part of that nation.

Though seeing what's happening in Ukraine--and the fact that Russian citizens are subject to conscription as cannon fodder--people there might not be so eager to reconstitute the old Soviet block.