The Republic of Moldova should come itself with a statement by which to demand that the Russian Federation should withdraw its troops from the left side of the Nistru, said the political analyst of Jamestown Foundation Vladimir Socor. He made such a statement after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg requested Russia to withdraw its troops from the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. Experts from Chisinau say that by such statements, NATO officials discourage Russia’s possible intentions to invade Ukraine, IPN reports.
At the end of the meeting of the Russia-NATO Council that was held in Brussels, the secretary general of NATO trenchantly asked Russia to withdraw its troops from the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. Jens Stoltenberg demanded that Moscow should respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the three states, noting that these are fundamental principles for ensuring peace and security in Europe. The experts from Chisinau said that Jens Stoltenberg’s statement should make the Moldovan authorities address an official statement about the necessity of the pullout to Russia.
“The Government of the Republic of Moldova should issue a statement by which to express gratitude for NATO‘s support and to demand that the Russian troops should be withdrawn. It is not enough for someone else to demand this in our name. The Republic of Moldova should take such a step and should stop making a difference between the Russian peacekeeping troops and the Russian troops that do not have peacekeeping duties. All the Russian troops stay on the territory of the Republic of Moldova illegally, without any mandate, without the approval of any international intuition and without the approval of the Republic of ii Moldova, which is a neutral state. That’s why the Republic of Moldova, the Government, the presidential administration are obliged to make a statement and to welcome what the secretary general of NATO said,” the Senior Fellow of the Jamestown Foundation Vladimir Socor stated in the talk show “Secretes of the Power” on JurnalTV channel.
“The U.S. discourages any invasive actions or potential situations of insecurity or war by very clear statements saying that if Russia takes such actions, NATO‘s response will be corresponding and representatives of the U.S. announced that they are ready to provide a response, including a military one. The U.S. and NATO said all the costs that will be incurred by Russia if it invades Ukraine will be similar to those that the international community imposed on North Korea and Iran. This is a very clear message that should discourage Russia,” said the director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms Iulian Groza.
Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu had a telephone conversation with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană and regional security was the main subject discussed by the two. Popescu said Moldova’s neutrality can and should be respected by the withdrawal of the Russian troops from its territory.
