Chisinau (Moldova): Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has paid an official to Moldova, which borders Ukraine, in a public show of support as the country eyes Russia's ambitions in the region and shelters thousands of Ukrainian refugees. Sanchez said Spain would stand up for Moldova's territorial integrity, in a reference to Transnistria and Russia's military presence there. Transnistria is a disputed, Russian-backed breakaway state that borders southwestern Ukraine. Pro-Russian forces broke it off from Moldova in 1992, and Russian troops have been stationed there ever since, ostensibly as peacekeepers. Sanchez assured President Maia Sandu at a press conference Friday in Chisinau, the capital, that Moldova has Spain's resounding support and our commitment to solidarity with the Moldovan authorities and the Moldovan people at a time of great difficulty and international political tension.
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