German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has reaffirmed Germany's commitment to supporting Moldova on its journey toward European Union membership, as the country prepares for a presidential election and EU referendum this Sunday.

In 1812, following the Treaty of Bucharest, the Russian Empire annexed the territory between the Prut and Dniester rivers, tearing it away from the Principality of Moldova. This marked the first brutal incision into Moldova’s historic lands and set the stage for a long-standing imperial

Two countries, Moldova and Georgia, hold pivotal votes in the coming days that will decide their future path in Europe. Both have both felt the shadow of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and both are former Soviet republics.

Moldova's pro-Western president, Maia Sandu, is seeking a second term in a presidential election on Oct. 20, when the country will also hold a referendum on joining the European Union.

Sunday’s referendum will ask Moldovan voters whether they support declaring the country’s EU accession as a strategic goal in its constitution. In an interview with Voice of America’s Russian Service,

Moldovan citizens will vote on whether to formally add EU membership aspirations to their country's constitution. A win for pro-Europeans and Maya Sandu’s re-election could increase tensions with pro-Russian separatists.