Chisinau relies on international partners’ support for withdrawal of Russian troops from Transnistrian region

The withdrawal of Russian troops from the Transnistrian region depends on security developments in the area and the support of international partners. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popsoi states that a decisive moment could come after the end of the war in Ukraine.

According to the official, the Republic of Moldova is counting on the steady support of its Western partners to create the conditions necessary for the withdrawal of the Russian military presence from the left bank of the Dniester. He emphasized that a possible settlement of the conflict in Ukraine could open the way for broader discussions on regional security.

“It is certain that our international partners in the European Union and across the Atlantic have always been on the side of the Republic of Moldova and on the side of the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova. These principles are fundamental when we discuss the issue of the Transnistrian region. Obviously, in the circumstances in which we will reach, hopefully soon, an end to the war in Ukraine, a lasting peace, a just peace, and we proceed to discussions on regional security, a security architecture in Europe in the post-war situation, we are counting heavily on the support of our partners so that the necessary preconditions are created for the withdrawal of troops and munitions from the left bank of the Dniester,” Mihai Popsoi told Moldova1.

At the same time, the official mentioned that the Russian military presence in the region has decreased in recent years, including due to the lack of troop rotations after 2014.

“We must recall that, in fact, the military presence on the left bank of the Dniester has decreased significantly. In the absence of rotations since 2014, the figure that is often circulated in the public space is by no means one that reflects the reality on the ground, because many of them have left, many are no longer there, and the number is actually decreasing in an organic way,” Popsoi explained.

According to Popsoi, Chisinau is relying on coordinated diplomatic actions to achieve a settlement of the Transnistrian issue.

“It is true that we do not have many decades ahead to wait for the problem to resolve itself. We are working to create a favorable international context so that our partners help us create the circumstances conducive to the definitive withdrawal of troops and munitions from the Transnistrian region,” the official said.

In parallel, the Republic of Moldova supports international initiatives to hold the Russian Federation accountable for its aggression against Ukraine, including the creation of a special tribunal. At the same time, the official reiterated that, from a legal point of view, the control exercised by the Russian Federation over the Transnistrian region has already been established at the international level, including through decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.

“From a legal standpoint, according to several decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, the effective control of the Russian Federation over the territory on the left bank of the Dniester has already been established. The ECHR has repeatedly stated in its decisions this effective control of the Kremlin,” Popsoi underlined.

Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri said on March 17 at a press conference that the administration in Tiraspol is strongly influenced from outside, and that the Republic of Moldova aims to change this situation through an impartial international civilian mission to support a reintegration process based on neutrality.

Referring to the document presented in Brussels, the official specified that it is a “non-paper” – a consultation tool and a starting point for discussions with European partners, not an official strategy.

Chiveri stressed that reintegration remains the exclusive responsibility of the Republic of Moldova, to be carried out in close cooperation with international partners.