described by the EU-Moldova Association Agreement and that respect for the rule of law was paramount to EU-Moldova relations. Finally, the EU strongly "reiterated its call" for "calm and restraint", with the EU favoring "dialogue between democratically elected representatives" as a way forward. The governments of France, Germany, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom jointly declared their support for the new Sandu government and called for restraint. Romania, despite declaring on June 10 through its Minister of Foreign Affairs that it would not recognise the newly-elected cabinet and would back early elections instead, finally recognised the Sandu cabinet on June 12. Russia On June 9, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak described the actions of the Democratic Party as "frankly criminal". Kozak noted the "courageous and pragmatic position of the pro-European bloc Acum and the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova" for overcoming political differences and representing the "will of the people". On June 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin backed pro-Russian president Dodon, additionally throwing his support behind "his current coalition partners" and calling the Democratic Party government "usupers". Putin stated that power had been seized by oligarchs, a situation which he likened to Ukraine. United States On June 10, the United States Department of State issued a statement "calling on all Moldovan parties to show restraint and to agree on a path forward through political dialogue" and emphasizing the validity of the 2019 Moldovan parliamentary election. The statement effectively fell short of endorsing either party to the crisis. On June 14, State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus released a press statement "welcoming the democratic change in Moldova" and the Democratic Party's decision to resign from government in favor of the Sandu Cabinet. According to a news report which cited anonymous sources, the resignation of the Democratic Party came hours after the US Ambassador to Moldova Dereck J. Hogan met with a delegation from the Democratic Party. Other countries and organizations The Council of Europe declared on June 9 through its Secretary-General that the decisions of the Constitutional Court on the same day to invalidate the forming of the Sandu government were "difficult to understand" and seemed "to be arbitrary" vis-à-vis the Constitution and international rule of law standards. The Secretary-General also requested the Venice Commission, an independent advisory body of the Council with competence in constitutional law, to urgently express an opinion on the dissolution of the Moldovan