Blinken will visit Moldova and the Czech Republic next week

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will visit Moldova and the Czech Republic next week. His visit to Eastern Europe comes amid continued Russian advances in Ukraine and the threat of Moscow interfering in Moldova's internal affairs, ABC reported. 
On May 29, Blinken will visit the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, and on May 30 and 31, he will participate in the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Prague. The meeting will be the military alliance's last major diplomatic meeting before leaders meet to mark NATO's 80th anniversary in Washington in July.
The trip comes just two weeks after the top diplomat visited Ukraine to reassure Kiev of Washington's support in the face of increased Russian attacks in the north of the country. There are also signs that Russia may be considering new actions in Moldova and is behind anti-Western actions in Georgia that the US says are at odds with Moldovan and Georgian aspirations to integrate into Europe.
In Chisinau, Blinken will meet with Moldovan President Maya Sandu to reaffirm US support for Moldova's progress in joining the EU. The top US diplomat for Europe, James O'Brien, said Blinken would announce a "robust" package of measures to support Moldova, where there are 1,500 Russian troops stationed in the breakaway region of Transnistria. 
"We don't see a direct military threat right now, but there are ongoing Russian influence operations and that's a concern," O'Brien said. 
In Prague, Blinken will meet with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky and other officials to discuss support for Ukraine, including the Czech initiative to supply more ammunition to Kiev.
With Ukraine high on the agenda, NATO ministers will also consider developments in Georgia, which, like Ukraine, is seeking to join NATO. However, the country passed a law that many say is influenced by the Kremlin and aims to stifle opposition thinking in the country. It is believed that the law will hinder Tbilisi's European integration. 
The law requires media and non-governmental organizations to register as "pursuing the interests of a foreign power" if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad. 
Blinken announced that the US would impose a travel ban on Georgian officials "who are responsible or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia, as well as their family members. This includes individuals responsible for suppressing civil society and freedom of peaceful assembly in Georgia through a campaign of violence or intimidation"./BGNES