Putin Sets Goal to "Undermine NATO and EU from Within" by 2026: NYT

At the end of 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin set a goal during a meeting with military leadership to "undermine NATO and the European Union from within" for the year 2026. This was reported by The New York Times, referencing details known to officials from the two countries involved.

According to sources cited by the publication, Moldova is a key focus in these plans. Representatives of Western intelligence services have indicated that subjecting Ukraine to control tops the Kremlin's priority list, followed closely by establishing control over Moldova.

Simultaneously, Putin has repeatedly denied claims of a potential Russian attack on European countries in public speeches, labeling them as "lies" and "nonsense." The NYT source estimates that Moldova could serve as a base for further actions against both Ukraine and the West.

They assert that Putin also continues to expect to establish control over southern regions of Ukraine with the aim of creating a land corridor connecting Russia to Moldova. The publication states that as part of these objectives, Russia attempted to interfere in the parliamentary elections held in Moldova on September 28, 2025, employing cyberattacks, misinformation, vote buying, and propaganda mechanisms.

The NYT reports that Moldovan clergy were also involved in these actions, with some traveling to Russia to receive bank cards from Promsvyazbank. After returning to Moldova, they were expected to carry out propaganda against the country's pro-European policies in exchange for financial compensation.

Furthermore, The New York Times reveals that a training camp was organized in Serbia during the summer of 2025, with most participants being citizens of Moldova. According to representatives of Western intelligence services, they were trained in the use of weapons, breaching police barriers, and setting buildings on fire. Similar camps reportedly operated in Bosnia and near Moscow.

Stanislav Sekriereun, an advisor on national security and defense to the President of Moldova, stated that Russia seeks to use Moldova as a "base for hostile actions against Ukraine, as well as against the European Union." The NYT reports that Moldovan authorities carried out extensive operations ahead of the elections, with the police conducting searches in hundreds of homes and arresting individuals prepared in training camps, while cybersecurity specialists, with support from Western partners, repelled hacker attacks.

As a result of the elections, President Maia Sandu's party retained its majority in parliament. "We won the battle, but we have not won the war," declared Mihai Lupashcu, the head of Moldova's Cyber Security Agency.