Moldovan president says if Moldova cannot persuade Russia to withdraw its army, option is to pursue EU Membership in two steps - first right Bank, then left bank

We wish the peaceful reunification of the country and we want this to happen as soon as possible. However, if we are unable to find a solution or cannot convince the Russian Federation to withdraw its army in the near future, then the option is to pursue EU membership in two steps - first the right bank, then the left bank. President Maia Sandu has made statements to this effect in an interview given with MOLDPRES.

The head of state noted that "the illegal presence of the Russian army is an obstacle to the reintegration of the country".

"The people there are not to blame for this situation and this separatism. On the contrary, more and more citizens understand the advantages of European integration, but the problem is that they don't get to decide there. The regime is maintained by the Kremlin and, obviously, the region is used by it," Maia Sandu said.

The official added that, on the economic front, the free trade regime with the European Union, also applied to the left bank of the Dniester, was a good idea.

"Today, most exports from the Transnistrian region reach the EU and some enterprises are considering how to adapt their working standards to the ones of the EU. These things show that people understand where the future lies, even if they don’t have the political power to change things, because there is no democracy there. However, the more people see the benefits of EU membership, the faster living standards will rise on the right bank, and the more interest and pressure there will be on the left bank for reintegration and EU accession," Maia Sandu noted

According to the Moldovan president, the European Union has shown that it offers significant help in crisis situations.

"We have seen how the Russian Federation has used the Transnistrian region, how it left people freezing in the middle of winter, and I hope they have understood what cheap Russian gas means - it's there as long as it serves Russia's interests. When it no longer serves Russia’s interests, you can end up without energy and freeze during winter. That is why it is important that we have developed alternatives and continue to invest in these alternatives," Maia Sandu explained.

At the same time, during the interview, the head of state also talked about the symbol of Independence Day, the process of European integration, establishing peace in Ukraine, the extradition of Vladimir Plahotniuc and counteracting disinformation and propaganda in the context of the parliamentary elections due on September 28, 2025.