logo

Maia Sandu: Relationship with Russia will be restored when this country changes its attitude to Moldova


https://www.ipn.md/en/maia-sandu-relationship-with-russia-will-be-restored-when-this-7965_1101446.html

President Maia Sandu said the Republic of Moldova has friendly and cooperative relations with all the countries that respect the interests of its citizens. This is the starting point and will remain the basic foreign policy principle. In the case of countries that do not respect the Republic of Moldova and resort to blackmail and threats, as the Russian Federation does, the friendly relations are out of the question. When Russia changes its attitude to Moldova and its citizens, the restoration of this relationship will be possible, IPN reports.

“The Russian Federation blackmails us. The Russian Federation threatens us once in two days. The Russian Federation keeps its troops on the territory of our country against our will and in such conditions it is evident that we cannot speak about a friendly relationship. When the Russian Federation changes its attitude to the Republic of Moldova and its citizens, it will be easier to restore this relationship,” President Sandu stated in the program “Reflection Points” on Vocea Basarabiei station.

The official noted that the Republic of Moldova is today more independent and this is one of the accomplishments of this period. The right side of the Nistru River hasn’t used gas supplied by Russia’s Gazprom for a year. In such conditions, Russia can no longer impose all kinds of conditions. “We also managed to diversify trade and not to depend to such a great extent. This dependence on the market of the Russian Federation is at present very small and this means that the Russian Federation cannot blackmail us every time,” stated Maia Sandu, noting that cooperative relations can be built when contracts are signed for the supply of products of a high quality.

According to the official, the relationship with the European Union is built this way. For the Russian Federation, the quality of the Moldovan fruit doesn’t matter as it is good today and can become bad overnight if the perception in Moscow changes and the Moldovans are punished as a result. “Cooperation and friendship cannot be built his way and we will insist on eliminating this dependence of the Republic of Moldova on the Russian Federation, which dares or tries to blackmail us,” said President Sandu.