Moldova's citizens will vote on Sunday in a presidential election and an EU referendum that come at a pivotal moment in the tussle between Russia and the West for the future of the poor, landlocked southeast European nation of under 3 million people.
As the war in Ukraine rages to the east and turns the political and diplomatic spotlight on the former Soviet republic, it has accelerated its push to escape Moscow's orbit and embarked on the long process of EU accession talks.
Pro-Western president Maia Sandu hopes to advance her agenda by both winning a second term and securing a "Yes" in a referendum to affirm EU accession as a strategic goal in the constitution.
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