“The project of Moldova entering the space of international relations is done through Moscow’s door”. This is how the political pundit Anatol Țăranu described President Igor Dodon’s vision of a balanced foreign policy that he presented at the Munich Security Conference.

“This project seemingly doesn’t guarantee full Russian control over the Transnistrian settlement process, but Russia’s influence will in fact be profound if the project is ever put into practice. This is a soft-power attempt by Russia to extend domination in Moldova full-scale. The president is putting forward this plan without even consulting with Moldovans”, the pundit stated during a talk-show on TVR Moldova.

In Țăranu’s opinion, Moldova has never had a well-thought-out foreign policy.

Foreign policy expert Iulian Fruntașu thinks that the notion of Moldova being neither with the East nor with the West affects its credibility with both sides. “When President Vladimir Voronin vigurously promoted the notorious Kozak Memorandum before slamming on the brakes at the last minute, it wasn’t quite fair to Vladimir Putin and Russia. Because you don’t go all the way before withtdrawing as things reach the final straight. Things shouldn’t have been pushed that far”, recalls Iulian Fruntașu. So the expert thinks Moscow has a reason to be skeptical of anything coming from Chisinau, including from President Dodon.   

In February, President Igor Dodon attended the Munich Security Council, where he presented “the concept of a balanced foreign policy”, which builds on the principle of Moldova’s permanent neutrality.