Russia: Moldova's Confrontational Stance Fuels Transnistria Tensions

CHISINAU, May 16. /TASS/. Russia is determined to prevent relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol from escalating and calls on Moldova to engage in constructive dialogue, the Russian embassy said in a statement commenting on the decree on simplified rules for obtaining Russian citizenship by residents of the unrecognized republic.

"The accusations that Russia is ‘violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova’ do not stand up to criticism and look like a hypocritical attempt to cover up double standards against the background of the practice of mass distribution of Romanian citizenship. In turn, our country consistently adheres to the 1992 Agreement on the Principles of Peaceful Settlement and is determined to prevent escalation between the banks of the Dniester. Unfortunately, it is the uncompromising and confrontational line of Chisinau, which seeks to impose its own rules on the region, completely ignoring the interests and needs of its residents is the prerequisite for such a scenario," the statement said.

"Instead of whipping up anti-Russian hysteria, we consider it important to show respect for the will of the residents of Transnistria and resume constructive dialogue on the well-known international legal platform 5+2," it said referring to Moldova, Transnistria, OSCE, Russia, Ukraine, as well as observers from the EU and the United States.

As stated earlier in Tiraspol, Moldova has switched from negotiations to pressure. For this purpose, trade, economic, financial and banking blockades, energy blackmail, and transport restrictions are used. In December 2025, a law came into force in Moldova, which allows residents of Transnistria who serve in the law enforcement agencies to be deprived of Moldovan citizenship. As experts have pointed out, thousands of people fall under it. Moldovan President Maia Sandu began to deprive Transnistrian officials of Moldovan passports, which allow them to travel outside the country, as sanctions.

A simplified procedure for obtaining Romanian citizenship has been in effect for Moldovan citizens for many years. Previously, hundreds of thousands of Moldovans acquired it for simplified trips to the EU. The president of the country, the prime minister and the parliament chairman have Romanian passports.