Moldova remains neutral, the situation in Transnistria is calm
Moldova is monitoring the separatist region of Transnistria for any signs of escalating tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and “the situation so far is calm,” Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu said in Brussels on Tuesday. . of the government in Chisinau in the context of the war in the neighboring country, Reuters and Euractiv report.
“I did not notice any movement in the direction of escalation” in Transnistria, said Nicu Popescu in the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. But, we can add, “given what has happened in the region before, not as a government does not rule out any options and we must consider all scenarios of evolution of events, including negative ones.”
“We hope that the war zone will not approach our border,” Nicu Popescu told Euractiv, referring to Russian bombings in the Odessa port area, about 50 kilometers from Moldova’s border.
Russian troops have advanced on the southern Ukrainian front in recent days, trying to cut off Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea, a move that Western military experts believe also seeks to establish a land corridor from Donbas and Crimea to the separatist province of Transnistria, where the Russian military maintains . a military contingent.
“Our working hypothesis is that (the Republic of) Moldova is not a target for military action and we do not see any reason to be attacked,” said Minister Nicu Popescu.
He reaffirmed in this context that the status of military neutrality is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova and it does not seek NATO membership.
“The legal mandate given to the government is to ensure Moldova’s neutrality. This is the framework in which we operate “, answered Minister Nicu Popescu, when asked by Euractiv if the current security situation could bring a change of approach to Chisinau.
He insisted on the difficulties posed by refugee values, of the approximately 360,000 Ukrainian refugees who entered the Republic of Moldova, about a third remaining in the country.
“Moldova is Ukraine’s most fragile neighbor and we will need support to deal with the pressure,” Chisinau official said. “We do not need relocation support, we have some offers received, we have support to manage the situation of those who need to stay, and many have decided to stay in (Republic of) Moldova, and this means a significant cost for us as a country. , as a society “, explained Nicu Popescu.
A donors’ conference will be held in Berlin on April 5 to help Moldova cope with the wave of Ukrainian refugees, which will be co-chaired by Germany, France and Romania.