President Maia Sandu has been nominated World Leader of the Year by the prestigious British magazine The Telegraph, for her decisive role in defending democracy and countering pressures and interferences on behalf of the Russian Federation. The publication also appreciates bringing Moldova to the ‘’front line of European democracy defense.’’
The Telegraph describes the journey in which Maia Sandu managed to win the elections, maintain the pro-European majority and advance towards the European Union.
The article reads that Moscow ‘’did everything it could to hinder free and democratic processes, using all available levers.’’
‘’Moldova may seem like a small and distant country that many know little about. Putin does not see it that way. For him, the former Soviet republic is a crucial geopolitical piece. Neighboring Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east, an obedient Moldova would create a new front of pressure on Kyiv and test a vulnerable NATO flank. However, in 2025, Maia Sandu – almost alone and certainly against the odds – faced the threat and offered Europe a rare moment of optimism in a gloomy year. Three times in the last 14 months, the Kremlin plotted to hinder her at the polls. Each time, she prevailed, secured reelection for a second and final term, won a tight referendum approving Moldova’s pro-EU direction and in September helped her party retain its parliamentary majority. Had she lost, a pro-Russian government would have taken power, stripped presidential powers, and threatened the country’s democratic future,’’ write The Telegraph journalists.
In an interview given with the British publication, Maia Sandu emphasized that ‘’if Kremlin agents had won, it would have meant that Russia would run the country.’’
‘’Moldova is one of the few countries that has experienced the full range of Russian hybrid attacks. But the target is not our country. Moldova is just the testing ground. The target is Europe, with democracy on the continent in danger,’’ said Maia Sandu.
In the context of the peace agreement in Ukraine, the Moldovan president warns that ‘’the lack of real pressure on the Kremlin risks producing not peace, but a temporary pause.’’
‘’We want a just peace, a lasting one. We do not want peace that encourages Russia to return after six months. I do not think Putin is interested in a peace agreement and I do not think he will accept it,’’ said Maia Sandu.
The president is portrayed by British journalists as a determined, reformist politician with an impressive career.
‘’I do not consider myself an extraordinary politician. I just believe I have the responsibility to do what is right,’’ Maia Sandu stressed.
The Telegraph journalists appreciate the president’s contribution to bringing Moldova closer to the European Union – a historical objective that, in her view, represents the only path towards stability and prosperity. The process was arduous, full of obstacles and threats. Nevertheless, in 2025, Moldova opened official negotiations for accession, despite Russia’s efforts to derail the European course.
For a country of 2.5 million people, this is a remarkable achievement, and for Maia Sandu, it is just the beginning. ‘’We do not ask for special treatment, we only ask for the chance to prove our capability,’’ Maia Sandu noted.
On December 24, 2020, Maia Sandu was inaugurated as President of the Republic of Moldova, after the victory on November 15, 2020, when the second round of presidential elections took place. On December 24, 2024, Maia Sandu was sworn in for her second term as head of state, after winning the second round of the presidential elections on November 3, becoming the first president re-elected through the direct vote of the citizens.
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