Voters in Moldova will cast their ballots Sunday in two crucial votes, which have been billed as the most consequential in the country’s post-Soviet history. One is for president, the other a referendum on eventual European Union membership.

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.

A landlocked nation home to the pro-Kremlin breakaway region of Transnistria, Moldova is sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania as Russia’s war rages on – and is often home to divisions between pro-West and pro-Moscow factions.

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.

Moldova's citizens vote on Sunday in a presidential election and an EU referendum that come at a pivotal moment in the tussle between Russia and the West for the future of the poor, landlocked southeast European nation of under 3 million people.

By Clare Nuttall in Chisinau In downtown Chisinau, there are few visible signs that Moldova is on the verge of two historic elections that could shape its future for decades. On October 20, Moldovans will vote in a referendum on the country’s commitment to its EU accession path,