Președinția Republicii Moldova

Dear Minister President Söder, • President Aigner – thank you for your warm words, Chairman Ferber, Distinguished hosts, Dear guests, It is a great honor to receive the Franz Josef Strauß Prize here in Munich, from a foundation that has long stood for democracy, freedom, and a united Europe. This award bears the name of a leader who believed that Europe must never take peace for granted—and that our values must be defended with clarity and courage. Today, that belief could not be more relevant....

Dear friends, It is a privilege to be with you today—here in Odesa, a city so dear to all Moldovans. You know, in the first days, weeks, and months of Russia’s brutal invasion, we would wake up each morning and check the news: does Odesa still stand? Because if it didn’t, it meant the Russian army was just an hour from our border. That fear was real. And so was our hope.

Dear friends, It is a privilege to be with you today—here in Odesa, a city so dear to all Moldovans. You know, in the first days, weeks, and months of Russia’s brutal invasion, we would wake up each morning and check the news: does Odesa still stand? Because if it didn’t, it meant the Russian army was just an hour from our border. That fear was real. And so was our hope.