Moldova–Transnistria Relations
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Moldova–Transnistria relations are the political and economic relations between the
Republic of Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised ...
and
Transnistria Transnistria, officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and locally as Pridnestrovie, is a Landlocked country, landlocked Transnistria conflict#International recognition of Transnistria, breakaway state internationally recogn ...
(officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic), an unrecognized state between the
Dniester River The Dniester ( ) is a transboundary river in Eastern Europe. It runs first through Ukraine and then through Moldova (from which it more or less separates the breakaway territory of Transnistria), finally discharging into the Black Sea on Uk ...
and
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
. During the
dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...
, political tensions in the
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic or Moldavian SSR (, mo-Cyrl, Република Советикэ Сочиалистэ Молдовеняскэ), also known as the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan SSR, Soviet Moldavia, Sovie ...
led to Transnistria declaring independence from Moldova, culminating in the Transnistrian War of 1992. As part of the ceasefire agreement ending the war, a
Joint Control Commission The Joint Control Commission (, COC; , ОКК) is a tri-lateral peacekeeping force and joint military command structure from Moldova, Transnistria, and Russia that operates in a demilitarized zone on the border between the Republic of Moldova and ...
composed of Moldovan, Transnistrian, and Russian forces was established to supervise the
demilitarized zone A demilitarized zone (DMZ or DZ) is an area in which treaties or agreements between states, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. A DZ often lies along an established frontier or boundary ...
which was located in the Transnistrian region. The Joint Control Commission still supervises the zone, and negotiations to resolve the dispute are ongoing. The negotiations are supported by the
Russian Federation Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
, the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
, and the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization comprising member states in Europe, North America, and Asia. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, the p ...
(OSCE).


Country comparison


History


1924–1990

The proclamation of the
Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic The Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, shortened to Moldavian ASSR, was an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics, autonomous republic of the Ukrainian SSR between 12 October 1924 and 2 August 1940, encompassing the modern territory ...
in 1924 established Transnistria's status as an autonomous
polity A polity is a group of people with a collective identity, who are organized by some form of political Institutionalisation, institutionalized social relations, and have a capacity to mobilize resources. A polity can be any group of people org ...
. In 1941, Romanian forces allied with Germany in the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
attacked the USSR and captured Transnistria. The USSR reconquered Moldova in 1944, and Transnistria became part of the newly created
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic or Moldavian SSR (, mo-Cyrl, Република Советикэ Сочиалистэ Молдовеняскэ), also known as the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan SSR, Soviet Moldavia, Sovie ...
. In 1990, the eastern part of the MSSR declared its independence within the USSR as the
Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (PMSSR), also commonly known as Soviet Transnistria or simply as Transnistria, was created on the eastern periphery of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (MSSR) in 1990 by pro-Soviet s ...
(PMR). Soviet president
Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet and Russian politician who served as the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to dissolution of the Soviet Union, the country's dissolution in 1991. He served a ...
signed a decree which voided decisions made by the People's Deputies of Transnistria.


1991–present


Transnistria War

After the
dissolution of the USSR Dissolution may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Dissolution'', a 2002 novel by Richard Lee Byers in the War of the Spider Queen series * Dissolution (Sansom novel), ''Dissolution'' (Sansom novel), by C. J. Sansom, 2003 * Dissolution (Binge no ...
in 1991, underlying tensions between Transnistria and Moldova culminated in the March – July 1992
Transnistrian War The Transnistria War (; ) was an armed conflict that broke out on 2 November 1990 in Dubăsari between pro-Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, PMR) forces, including the Transnistrian Republican Guard, militia and neo-Cossack unit ...
. Before the war, opposition to Moldovan nationalism increased and raids and attempts to seize the territory took place. Russian soldiers sided with the separatists during the conflict, with members of the Russian 14th Guards Army providing weapons to the new Transnistrian military force. In December 1991, 14th Army commander G. I. Yakovlev also became the head of the Transnistrian military. The ceasefire in July of that year created a security zone composed of five Russian battalions, three Moldovan battalions and two battalions from Transnistria. During the war, some villages in central Transnistria rebelled against the separatist authorities. Some villages on the eastern bank of the Dniester (including
Cocieri Cocieri is a commune in the Republic of Moldova, and the administrative center of Dubăsari District. It is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River, consisting of two villages, ''Cocieri'' and ''Vasilievca''. During 1992 War of Transn ...
,
Mahala is an Arabic word variously translated as district, quarter, ward, or neighborhood in many parts of the Arab world, the Balkans, Western Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and nearby nations. History Historically, mahallas were autonomous social ins ...
, and Pohrebea) remain under Moldovan control, and some areas on the west bank of the Dniester (including the city of Bender) are controlled by Transnistrian forces.


Russian forces in Transnistria

Peacekeeping forces from each side, including a contingent from Russia, patrol the security zone. A Joint Control Commission (consisting of Moldovan, Transnistrian, and Russian forces) oversees the security zone, and the OSCE is an observer. Moldova objects to Russian forces in Transnistria, saying that it violates their sovereignty. Moldova's neutrality is codified in its
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...
: "The Republic of Moldova declares its permanent neutrality and does not admit the stationing of foreign military units on its territory". In 1994, Russia and Moldova signed an agreement that Russia would withdraw its troops three years after ratification; however, the Russian
Duma A duma () is a Russian assembly with advisory or legislative functions. The term ''boyar duma'' is used to refer to advisory councils in Russia from the 10th to 17th centuries. Starting in the 18th century, city dumas were formed across Russia ...
did not ratify it. During the 1999 OSCE Summit in Istanbul, Russia committed to withdraw its troops from Transnistria by the end of 2002. Again, the Russian Duma did not ratify the Istanbul accords. In an 18 November 2008
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
resolution, Russia was urged "to respect its commitments which were taken at the Istanbul OSCE Summit in 1999 and has to withdraw its illegal military presence from the Transnistrian region of Moldova in the nearest future". Vadim Pisari, a Moldovan civilian, drove through a security-zone checkpoint in 2012 and was fatally injured by a Russian soldier. The incident heightened tensions between Russia and Moldova and led to further debate about the continued presence of the Russian contingent. Moldovans protested, particularly outside the Russian embassy in
Chișinău Chișinău ( , , ; formerly known as Kishinev) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Moldova, largest city of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre, and is located in the middle of the coun ...
(the Moldovan capital), calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the region. In 2018, the Russian contingent remained in the security zone.


Status and negotiations

There are no Moldovan-representative offices, consulates or embassies in Transnistria. Transnistrian sovereignty is recognised by two polities:
Abkhazia Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a List of states with limited recognition, partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It cover ...
and
South Ossetia South Ossetia, officially the Republic of South Ossetia or the State of Alania, is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus with International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, partial diplomatic recognition. It has an offici ...
. Transnistria and South Ossetia are members of the
Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations The Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations, also commonly and colloquially known as the Commonwealth of Unrecognized States, rarely as CIS-2, is an international organization in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus of three breakaway ...
, an organisation of states in the former USSR which have limited international recognition. Although Russia does not recognise Transnistria as an independent state, it maintains a consulate in
Tiraspol Tiraspol (, ; also /; , ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Transnistria, a breakaway state of Moldova, where it is the third-largest city. The city is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River. Tiraspol is a regional hub of cul ...
(the Transnistrian capital). The 1997 Moscow memorandum, also known as the Primakov memorandum, is an agreement signed by Moldovan
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Petru Lucinschi Petru Lucinschi (; born 27 January 1940) is a former Moldovan politician who was Moldova's second President from 1997 to 2001. He currently serves as the founder and head of the Lucinschi Foundation of Strategic Studies and International Relat ...
and Transnistrian
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Igor Smirnov establishing legal and state relations between Moldova and Transnistria. Both parties reaffirmed the ceasefire agreement, and mediation efforts involving Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE were asked to continue. The
Kozak memorandum The Kozak memorandum, officially Russian Draft Memorandum on the Basic Principles of the State Structure of a United State in Moldova, was a 2003 proposal aimed at a final settlement of relations between Moldova and Transnistria and a solving of ...
of 2003 was a further attempt to negotiate solutions of the dispute. Discussions between Moldovan president
Vladimir Voronin Vladimir Voronin (; born Vladimir Bujeniță, 25 May 1941) is a Moldovan politician. He was the third President of Moldova#Republic of Moldova (1991–present), President of Moldova from 2001 until 2009 and has been the leader of the Party of ...
and Transnistria's Igor Smirnov were mediated by Russian politician (and
Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
ally)
Dmitry Kozak Dmitry Nikolayevich Kozak (, ; ; born 7 November 1958) is a Russian politician who has served as the Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff since 24 January 2020. He previously served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from 2008 to 2020. He has t ...
. A core tenet of the proposal was the creation of an asymmetric federation, with Moldova constituting the majority and Transnistria the minority. The proposal would have allowed for Transnistria to veto future changes to the constitution of the new federation, and would have permitted a Russian peacekeeping contingent in Transnistria until 2020. Controversy arose over the potential number of seats allocated to Transnistria in the future senate, and the continued presence of Russian forces triggered a backlash from Moldova. The document was rejected due to the pressure it placed on Voronin. In 2005, the US and the EU joined the Moldovan-Transnistrian negotiations as observers. Including Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE, the negotiations have become known as the
5+2 format 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs. Mathematics 5 is a Fermat pri ...
(or 5+2 talks). Informal negotiations were held between 2006 and 2011, due to Transnistrian frustration with Moldovan and Ukrainian attempts to monitor the disputed border. Although the talks are ongoing, there is no agreement on the political status of Transnistria. On 20 September 2017, the
Parliament of Transnistria The Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic; ;United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
for observer status. The request, sent to UN
Secretary General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, Power (social and political), power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the org ...
António Guterres António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres (born 30 April 1949) is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who is serving as the ninth and current secretary-general of the United Nations since 2017. A member of the Socialist Party (Portugal), ...
and President of the UN General Assembly
Miroslav Lajčák Miroslav Lajčák (born 20 March 1963) is a Slovak politician and diplomat, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic. In addition, Lajčák also served as President of the United Nations General Assembly for the 72nd session f ...
, also asked the UN to establish a permanent international working group and to condemn actions which lead to "the violation of unalienable rights and freedom ... and ... the rise in tensions in the whole region". The request cited
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
, which is not a member of the UN but has observer status. On 22 June 2018, Moldova submitted a UN resolution calling for the "complete and unconditional withdrawal of foreign military forces from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, including Transnistria". Sixty-four member states voted in favour of the resolution, 83 abstained, and 15 voted against it. States opposing the resolution included Russia,
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
, and
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
.


2006 referendum

In 2005, Moldova passed a law about the "basic provisions of special legal status of settlements on the left bank of Dniester (Transnistria)" which created the
Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester The Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester is an autonomous territorial unit of Moldova established by the Government of Moldova to delineate the territory controlled by the unrecognized state of Transnistria. His ...
(an autonomous region of Moldova). The law was opposed by Transnistria, since consultation with Transnistrian authorities was limited. On 17 September 2006, a referendum was held in Transnistria asking voters to choose between renouncing independence and becoming part of Moldova or claiming independence and possibly becoming part of the Russian Federation in the future. The referendum favored Russian to Moldovan integration, 98.07 to 96.61 percent. The OSCE, EU and many other states, including
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
,
Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
and
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, did not recognise the referendum's results. The Moldovan law on basic provisions is still in force, and peace settlements could be complicated by its continued existence.


Economic relations

Moldovan-Transnistrian economic relations are characterized by crises and pressures. Although a significant portion of Moldova's industrial potential is in Transnistria (benefiting the latter's economy), a number of economic crises have increased tensions between the two parties. In 1990, Transnistria was responsible for over 40 percent of Moldova's GDP and 90 percent of its electricity supply. After Moldova signed the
European Union Association Agreement A European Union Association Agreement or simply Association Agreement (AA) is a treaty between the European Union (EU, or its predecessors), its Member States and a non-EU country or bloc of countries that governs bilateral relations. Areas freq ...
in 2014, Transnistria could export goods to the EU tariff-free. As a result, 27 percent of Transnistrian exports went to EU member states and exports to Russia fell to 7.7 percent. Moldovan pressure has triggered an economic crisis in Transnistria; to pressure Transnistria to reintegrate into Moldova, the latter lowered the procurement price for Transnistrian electricity by about 30 percent in 2016. It is more difficult for the export-driven Transnistrian economy to access international markets, and opportunities to attract foreign investment are limited. This has resulted in rises of mass emigration and the shadow economy; due to Transnistria's lack of international recognition, it is more difficult to take legal action against companies associated with the shadow economy. In 2005, at the request of Moldovan President Voronin and
Ukrainian President The president of Ukraine (, ) is the head of state of Ukraine. The president represents the nation in international relations, administers the foreign political activity of the state, conducts negotiations and concludes international treaties. ...
Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Andriiovych Yushchenko (, ; born 23 February 1954) is a Ukrainian politician who was the third president of Ukraine from 23 January 2005 to 25 February 2010. He aimed to orient Ukraine towards Western world, the West, European Union, and N ...
, the EU launched a Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) to help limit cross-border criminal activity. According to the
European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...
, EUBAM has three central objectives: "to contribute to enhancing the overall border and customs management capacities and the abilities of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine to fight against cross-border and organised crime, to approximate the border and law enforcement authorities’ standards to those of the EU, and to assist the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in fulfilling their commitments under the
European Neighbourhood Policy The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union (EU) which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the European territory of the EU to the Union. These countries include some who seek ...
Action Plans (ENP AP) and the
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement A European Union Association Agreement or simply Association Agreement (AA) is a treaty between the European Union (EU, or its predecessors), its Member States and a non-EU country or bloc of countries that governs bilateral relations. Areas fre ...
s (PCA)".


Border customs dispute

On 3 March 2006, Ukraine introduced new customs regulations on its border with Transnistria. Ukraine declared that it would import goods from Transnistria only with documents processed by Moldovan customs offices as part of the joint customs protocol agreed between Ukraine and Moldova on 30 December 2005. Transnistrian companies which want to export to Ukraine and
Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional organization, regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an ar ...
members must be registered in Moldova. The new customs agreement was criticised in Transnistria, with Minister of Economy Elena Chernenko saying that the ''de facto'' blockade cost Transnistria $2–2.5 million per day.


Political rhetoric

Public opinion about relations between Moldova and Transnistria has been shaped by the rhetoric of its leaders.


Moldova

Mircea Snegur Mircea Snegur (; 17 January 1940 – 13 September 2023) was a Moldovan agronomist and politician who served as the first President of Moldova from 1990 to 1997. Prior to that, he served as the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of ...
, the first president of the Republic of Moldova, signed the ceasefire agreement ending the Transnistrian War. Snegur refused to sign the 1997 Moscow memorandum, which was finalised after the election of the pro-Russian Petru Lucinschi as president. During the presidential terms of Lucinschi and his pro-Russian successor, Voronin, Russia pursued closer relations with Moldova. According to Mihai Ghumpu, acting president of Moldova from September 2009 to December 2010, the unconditional withdrawal of Russian soldiers and removal of Russian ammunition from Transnistria were prerequisites for a solution to the conflict. His successor,
Vlad Filat Vladimir Filat (born 6 May 1969), commonly referred to as Vlad Filat (), is a Moldovan businessman and politician, founder of Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova. He was Prime Minister of Moldova from 25 September 2009 to 25 April 2013. He also ...
of the
Liberal Democratic Party Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Liberal Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties have usually followed liberalism as ideology, although they can vary widely from very progr ...
, said: "The Transnistrian region’s statute is to be identified within the "5+2" talks. Moreover, after finding this solution, the final decision will be taken in Chișinău".
Marian Lupu Marian Lupu (; born 20 June 1966) is a Moldovan economist and politician who was the President of the Parliament of Moldova between 2010 and 2013. From this position he served as Acting President of Moldova from 2010 until 2012. Personal life ...
, acting president from December 2010 to March 2012, also emphasized Chișinău's willingness to engage in dialogue about the conflict. After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, many politicians and activists in Transnistria asked the Russian Parliament to draft a law for Transnistria to join Russia. In response, Moldovan president
Nicolae Timofti Nicolae Timofti (; born 22 December 1948) is a Moldovan jurist and politician who was President of Moldova from 23 March 2012 until 23 December 2016. He served as head of Moldova's Superior Magistrate Council and was 2011–2012 Moldovan preside ...
said that any decision by Moscow to accept Transnistria "would be a step in the wrong direction". Pro-Russian president
Igor Dodon Igor Dodon (; born 18 February 1975) is a Moldovan politician who served as the 5th president of Moldova from 2016 to 2020. He currently serves as the leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova since 2024. He served as Ministry ...
, elected in December 2016, has indicated that Transnistria's attempts to gain independence have failed: "They either have Moldova or Ukraine to unite with. Nobody else ..."


Transnistria

Igor Smirnov was the first president of Transnistria, serving from 1990 to 1991 and from 1991 to 2011. His tenure was marked by attempts to gain independence, including the signing of the 1997 Moscow memorandum. Defeating pro-Russian candidate Anatoly Kaminski,
Yevgeny Shevchuk Yevgeny Vasilyevich Shevchuk (, , , mo-Cyrl, Евгени Васильевичь Шевчюк; born 19 June 1968) is a Transnistrian former politician who served as the second President of Transnistria, from 2011 to 2016. He was a deputy to t ...
's
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
election as president of Transnistria marked a new phase of Moldovan-Transnistrian relations. Although there was no consensus on political status, Shevchuk promoted improved communication links and the lifting of trade restrictions. At the 5+2 format talks, Shevchuk rejected Moldova's call to replace the Russian military contingent with a civilian peacekeeping mission and asserted the need for Russian forces to provide Transnistria with security. In the December 2016 elections,
Vadim Krasnoselsky Vadim Nikolayevich Krasnoselsky (; ; born 14 April 1970) is a Transnistrian politician who is the 3rd and current President of Transnistria. Previously, he served as a member of the Supreme Council of Transnistria from the 7th district, as 6th ...
of the centre-right Renewal Party became president; according to the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
, Krasnoselsky said that Transnistria should embark on an "evolutionary" accession with Russia. During national celebrations in September 2018, Krasnoselky said that Transnistria would still seek international recognition and the Russian military contingent was "an important factor in preserving peace."


See also

*
Transnistria War The Transnistria War (; ) was an armed conflict that broke out on 2 November 1990 in Dubăsari between pro-Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, PMR) forces, including the Transnistrian Republican Guard, militia and neo-Cossack unit ...
*
Transnistria conflict The Transnistria conflict (; ; ) is an ongoing frozen conflict between Moldova and the unrecognized state of Transnistria. Its most active phase was the Transnistria War. There have been several unsuccessful attempts to resolve the conflict ...
* International recognition of Transnistria *
Political status of Transnistria The Transnistria conflict (; ; ) is an ongoing frozen conflict between Moldova and the unrecognized state of Transnistria. Its most active phase was the Transnistria War. There have been several unsuccessful attempts to resolve the conflict ...
*
Moldova–Russia relations Moldova–Russia relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation, two Post-Soviet states. Russian support for the self-proclaimed Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transnistria) and a substantial Ru ...
*
Moldova–United States relations Relations between Moldova and the United States were established in 1991. According to the 2014 census, there are 37,241 Moldovan-Americans residing in the United States. History The United States recognized the independence of Moldova on Dece ...
* Russia–Transnistria relations * Transnistria–United States relations


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moldova-Transnistria relations
Transnistria Transnistria, officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and locally as Pridnestrovie, is a Landlocked country, landlocked Transnistria conflict#International recognition of Transnistria, breakaway state internationally recogn ...
Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...
Politics of Transnistria