Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Moldova delivered a clear victory for the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), led by sitting President Maia Sandu. Can economic incentives and Western investment now help transform Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria from a Russia-leaning outpost into a partner in reconstruction and EU integration? Do the election results signal that the enclave’s oligarchs and younger voters are shifting toward Europe? And what options remain for Vladimir Putin as his traditional levers of influence in the region slip away?

In this episode, Jacob Heilbrunn speaks with Daniel Runde, a senior adviser at BGR Group and author of The American Imperative: Reclaiming Global Leadership Through Soft Power (Bombardier Books, 2023). Runde previously served as a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and has advised the U.S. government, foreign ministries, international bodies, and Fortune 500 firms.