Advertisement

Updated July 22nd, 2022 at 18:00 IST

Transnistria's FM: Integration with Russia remains possible

Transnistria, a sliver of land lying between Ukraine and the rest of Moldova, has hosted a contingent of Russian peacekeeping forces since the 1992 end of a separatist war.

Russia
Image: Twitter | Image:self
Advertisement

MOSCOW (AP) — The foreign minister of Moldova's separatist Transnistria region said Friday that it is committed to achieving independence and possible unification with Russia, and that Moldova's becoming a candidate for European Union membership effectively ends any possibility of cooperation.

Transnistria, a sliver of land lying between Ukraine and the rest of Moldova, has hosted a contingent of Russian peacekeeping forces since the 1992 end of a separatist war. Since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February, speculation has risen that Russia would aim to take control of the territory.

In April, a series of explosions in the territory of 470,000 people caused tensions to soar.

Vitaly Ignatyev, the unrecognized government's foreign minister, told a news conference in Moscow that Transnistria will pursue the goals determined in a 2006 referendum: “The independent development of Transnistria and the subsequent free entry into the Russian Federation. ... The subsequent free accession to Russia is a process that probably requires significant decisions, political preparation and much more. The main priority, obviously, is independence.”

Moldova is constitutionally neutral and thus not a potential NATO member, but is showing a growing Western orientation. In June, the EU granted it candidate status, with full bloc membership conditional on reforms such as tackling corruption and strengthening rule of law.

“Having received the status of a candidate for EU membership, Moldova has thus crossed a certain Rubicon," Ignatyev said. “It put an end to the issue of building political relations within certain common spaces, because this decision was made solely by the Moldovan leadership, it was not taken collectively. Moreover, no one can speak for us.”

Advertisement

Published July 22nd, 2022 at 18:00 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Bollywood actor Govinda
a few seconds ago
Bill Gates and PM Modi to Discuss ‘From AI to Digital Payments’
a few seconds ago
Elon Musk X lawsuit
a minute ago
Supriya Shrinate clarification
9 minutes ago
vk saxena
13 minutes ago
Shahjahan Sheikh in CBI Custody: First Visual Emerges | WATCH
13 minutes ago
Pakistan Supreme Court
15 minutes ago
AR Rahman, Ram Charan
17 minutes ago
File Photo of PM Narendra Modi
19 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo