"We need to build up our capacities very quickly" - Moldova's Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita

Moldova's Prime Minister Natalita Gavrilita spoke with DW ahead of a donor conference and said that besides the parties to the conflict, Moldova is the country most affected by the war. "About 15% of our trade was with Ukraine and Russia and Belarus. The Odesa port was a very important logistics port," the prime minister said. These come on top of other issues also seen in other European countries such as rising energy costs and high inflation which has "already reached 18% in Moldova." Gavrilita said that more than 400,000 people have already fled Ukraine into Moldova, of which 100,000 have decided to stay. "At a stable population of around 2.7 million, this represents more than 3% of our population, almost 4%," she said, adding that most of the refugees were vulnerable people in need of aid. Moldova is also dealing with a separatist region along the border with Ukraine — Transnistria — where Russian troops have been stationed. Gavrilita said Moldova is "concerned" about their presence, but added that they have not seen "any specific plans or movements" that indicate those forces would engage in the war in Ukraine.

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