1) Joe Biden's visit to Moldova came after stops in Helsinki and Moscow and was part of efforts to "reload" U.S.-Russian relations and evaluate the progress of resetting ties between the two countries. 2) In Moscow, Biden emphasized issues of democracy and human rights, which some saw as a strategic challenge to Russia, while the formal priorities of the visit were bilateral security cooperation and commercial relations. 3) In Chisinau, Biden recognized Moldova's democratic progress and said the U.S. supports Moldova's European orientation, ongoing economic reforms, and a resolution to the Transnistrian conflict that preserves Moldova's sovereignty. The speech also sent a message to Russia by highlighting