The Crimea Platform is a success which should be consolidated by expanding the format, said Ukrainian journalist Andrei Nofenko in a Youtube video. The journalist says it is obvious that the territorial problems of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia are caused by the Russian Federation and that it would be absolutely natural for these countries to join their efforts to advance coordinated policies in order to regain lost territories.
“The alliance between Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia in the ‘Associated Trio’ format is already established; however, it is still fragile. The ideal option would be to conclude a trilateral inter-state agreement, which would cover several areas and would aim to tackle the threats generated by Russia. The text of such a document could include a detailed list of threats. In addition to co-opting part of our territory (Ukraine) and the constant threat of further aggression, Russia is constantly waging an economic war against our countries, is swarming them with networks of agents and is trying to feed our peoples with distorted and false versions of history that would justify its aggression, while it claims to be a messianic leader”, said the opinion leader.
In the same vein, Andrei Nofenko pointed out to Russia's systematic interference in elections throughout the post-Soviet region and to its media war against every post-Soviet country. Simply drafting and publishing a list of threats would be a step towards building a common resistance, said Andrei Nofenko, adding that the agreement could be open for membership to all countries that have reason to consider themselves under threat from Russia.
Recalling that Maia Sandu was the target of the most fierce criticism from Russian propagandists over the Crimea Platform summit, the author said that “if Russian propagandists are getting the shakes over the issue of Ukrainian-Moldovan closeness, it means that our countries are on the right track”. However, the main benefit of the Ukrainian-Moldovan alliance is the real potential to end the Transnistrian conflict and remove Russia's military presence from the region - which was the destabilizing element for Moldova for 30 years and, for a while now, for Ukraine as well.