Sandu explained her position by expressing the desire to protect Moldova from Russian pressure: "For a small country like Moldova, it is becoming increasingly difficult to survive as a sovereign state and resist Russia," she said.
The president also pointed out that Moscow has repeatedly attempted to interfere in Moldova's internal affairs.
According to Reuters, about 1.5 million out of 2.4 million citizens of Moldova hold Romanian citizenship, but only about a third of the population supports the idea of uniting the two countries.
Sandu acknowledged that the majority of citizens do not agree with her opinion and noted that joining the European Union is a more realistic goal for Moldova.
The current authorities of the country plan to complete the process of EU integration by 2030, which will require a series of complex reforms.
