The self-styled authorities in Tiraspol keep maximum neutrality in relation to the war in Ukraine, said the head of Moldova’s delegation to the Joint Control Commission (JCC) Alexandru Flenchea. According to him, the regime in Tiraspol does not want the war to be escalated and wants the situation to return to the state before February 24, 2022, IPN reports.
The JCC head is skeptical about Russia’s intention to recognize the Transnistrian region. He considers such a move would point to despair among the Russian strategists and would fully destroy the relations with Chisinau.
“Vladimir Putin has somewhere, even at subconscious level, the map of the Soviet Union and acts exactly according to that paradigm, and this was seen. The interest in the Transnistrian region is the interest in an instrument for exerting pressure on the Republic of Moldova. But there is Ukraine between Russia and the Transnistrian region. In the current conditions, as long as the war continues, I do not see possibilities for Russia to take revolutionary actions with regard to Transnistria. Recognizing Transnistria for obtaining what? What will be next? Giving Ukraine a free hand to enter Transnistria? As this would happen in this case. The recognition of Transnistria by Russia would be a gesture of despair, a step that would bring the relationship with Chisinau to an end,” Alexandru Flenchea stated in the program “Reflection Points” on Vocea Basarabiei channel.
The former Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration noted that the Transnistrian administration sows maximum prudence in its rhetoric when it goes to the war in Ukraine. The separatist leaders do not want the Transnistrian region to become involved in a war. They want peace and privileged relations with Russia.
“Generally, the messages of Tiraspol haven’t changed. They now found a new subject of discussion about separatism and conduct campaigns through the press, but their rhetoric hasn’t changed. They keep maximum neutrality. Only Ignatiev (chief political negotiator of Tiraspol in relations with Chisinau – e.n.) repeats elements from Moscow’s narrative concerning the Ukrainization of the Republic of Moldova, a Moldova that is anti-Russia, but without accusing Ukraine, without being hostile to Ukraine. Ultimately, Iganatiev was born in Odessa oblast and has a Ukrainian passport. They want the situation before the war to continue, with free gas, with an open border, with peace and businesses ongoing,” said the head of Moldova’s delegation to the JCC.
Two days ago, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin annulled his decree on the foreign policy of the Russian Federation, which was signed in May 2012. The document envisioned also “the search for methods for resolving the Transnistrian dispute based on the sovereignty, territorial integrity and neutrality status of the Republic of Moldova when agreeing a special status for Transnistria”.
