Sandu sends signal to Brussels: withdrawal of Russian troops from Transnistria to become part of negotiations

Moldova has set its course to resolve one of the most pressing issues on its domestic agenda — the presence of Russian military forces in Transnistria. The country’s President, Maia Sandu, stated directly that Chișinău intends to elevate this issue to the international level and discuss it within the framework of European integration.

Transnistria in the context of European integration

In recent remarks, the head of state emphasized that the unrecognized region is an integral part of the Republic of Moldova. According to Sandu, the topic of Transnistria is regularly raised both by the Moldovan side and by European partners. “We hope that together we will be able to resolve this issue,” the president noted.

The key obstacle, according to Chișinău, remains the presence of Russian troops in the region, which the Moldovan leadership considers illegal. Sandu identifies their peaceful withdrawal as one of the main priorities on the path to the country’s stability and sovereignty.

The role of Brussels and the link with Ukraine

Maia Sandu also emphasized that the question of Moldova’s accession to the European Union is decided exclusively in Brussels, not in Moscow. At the same time, she suggested that during negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, the EU might also raise the issue of Transnistria.

This points to a possible interconnection between the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine and the resolution of the Transnistrian problem. The Moldovan leadership expects that international pressure and diplomatic efforts may contribute to the peaceful withdrawal of Russian troops.

Parallel paths to the EU

Recall that in June, Ukraine officially opened the first negotiation cluster “Foundations” within the framework of its EU accession process. Following this, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Ukraine’s and Moldova’s progress would be assessed separately — on the basis of “their own merits”.

However, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that this does not mean the separation of the two countries’ European integration paths. Kyiv and Chișinău continue to move toward EU membership in sync, supporting each other in their pursuit of European values and standards.