US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken pledged firm American support for Moldova.
The support will be in areas ranging from energy independence to democracy promotion.
The top US diplomat hailed the work of the country's President Maya Sandu, who has charted a firm pro-European course in the face of what US officials fear is a coordinated Russian campaign as she seeks a new term.
"We see in you a very valuable partner in the region and we have an enduring commitment to work together," Blinken told Sandu during their meeting at the president's office.
"What is so strong is the deep-rooted commitment to democracy. And this is in the face of Russian harassment - interference, efforts to spread misinformation, disinformation, weaponizing corruption, manufacturing anti-government protests. Despite that, we have seen extraordinary resilience," Blinken said.
The United States hopes to ensure that "it is fundamentally the people of Moldova who decide their own future and their own course. That's what this is really about," he said.
Blinken stressed that President Joe Biden's administration has asked Congress for another $50 million in support for Moldova, including help with cybersecurity during the upcoming elections.
The United States has already committed about $300 million to Moldova's energy sector as the country takes steps to reduce its dependence on Russian imports following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Blinken announced that $85 million of the funds already allocated will be directed to immediate projects, including battery energy storage and helping connect Moldova to Ukraine, Romania and other non-Russian energy sources.
The United States is "working to help you continue to diversify your energy supply so that you are not dependent on any one source," Blinken said. / BGNES
