On Monday (21 October), Moldovans narrowly voted in favour of continuing the country's path toward EU membership, with the "No" vote leading until the final moments. The country's president Maia Sandu condemned Russian interference and accused "criminal groups" of attempting to undermine the vote in the former Soviet republic.

Moldova will now hold the second round of presidential elections next month, where Sandu will face a pro-Russian opposition leader. This has raised concerns in Brussels about the continuation of Russia's "hybrid war" tactics, which could further destabilise Moldova and derail its EU aspirations.

Similar concerns extend to Georgia, which holds parliamentary elections this Sunday and has long grappled with Russian interference.

To discuss the potential political instability in Moldova and Georgia, we speak with Amanda Paul, Deputy Head of Europe in the World Programme and Senior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Center, specialising in Turkey, Ukraine, and the South Caucasus.

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