The Republic of Moldova wants to have a clam and mutually advantageous relationship with the Russian Federation, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu, who recently returned from Moscow. According to the official, the Moldovan authorities want to avoid military or economic conflicts with Russia. He confirmed that a number of high-ranking European officials, including Angela Merkel, intervened to help Moldova avoid a large-scale energy crisis, IPN reports.

After the meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Nicu Popescu said the Republic of Moldova wants a clam and friendly relationship with the Russian Federation. He noted the Moldovan authorities do not yet intend to renounce the membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

“There is this asymmetry between Russia and the Republic of Moldova in terms of resources, territory, economic capacity, but we can have a calm relationship with Moscow in matters of national interest. My discussions with interlocutors in Russia started from this precondition. All the Eastern Partnership countries experience economic, political, military, migrant crises. We aim to avoid a crisis in the Republic of Moldova. The withdrawal from the CIS hasn’t been raised even in the campaign prior to the presidential elections. Consequently, all those who voted for Maia Sandu, voted for PAS, including for remaining part of the CIS,” Nicu Popescu stated in the talk show “In Depth” on PRO TV Chisinau channel.

The official noted that the contract for the supply of gas signed with Gazprom does not contain provisions concerning the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict.

“It would have been illegal for a contract between two companies to contain any mention to the Transnistrian settlement. We had an intense dialogue with European officials in the context of the energy crisis. European and U.S. officials became involved to help us. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen asked Missis Merkel to discuss the energy issue of the Republic of Moldova,” said Nicu Popescu.

He also said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs already sent to Moscow a letter with the name of the new Moldova’s Ambassador to Russia and they are waiting for the Russian side’s conformation. He avoided saying the name, noting this is a career diplomat. Moldova remained without an ambassador in Moscow after Vladimir Golovatiuc was recalled following his involvement in a sex scandal.