Russian President Vladimir Putin has canceled a decree signed in 2012, a document that “underpinned Moldova’s sovereignty in resolving the future of the Transnistria region,” Reuters reports.
As a breakaway state, Transnistria – officially called the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is internationally recognized as part of Moldova.
The 2012 decree was signed as part of Russia’s foreign policy relations with the U.S. and to implement the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).
Earlier this week, Putin disclosed that Moscow is withdrawing from START, Ukrinform reports.
According to a Reuters report, after Putin declared the pullout from the treaty, he announced that Russia will go back to nuclear testing.
“The elites of the West do not hide their purpose. But they also cannot fail to realize that it is impossible to defeat Russia on the battlefield,” Putin said.
Kremlin published the order revoking the decree on its official website, with the explanation that the decision was meant to “ensure the national interests of Russia in connection with the profound changes taking place in international relations”.
Although the moves have been called anti-Western by many, the head of the joint control commission in the security zone around Transdniestria, Alexandru Flenchea, maintains that the Russian president’s decision is not threatening the sovereignty of Moldova.
“The decree is a policy document that implements the concept of Russia’s foreign policy,” Flenchea said in the televised statement. “Moldova and Russia have a basic political agreement that provides for mutual respect for the territorial integrity of our countries.”
The Russia-Moldova ties have been shaky lately – most notably after Moldova appointed its new pro-Western government, led by Prime Minister Dorin Recean.
Recean was nominated by Moldovan President Maia Sandu as the successor of Natalia Gavrilita, whose administration resigned after 18 months in power.
On Sunday, in response to the crisis in the cost of living and soaring inflation, thousands of demonstrators marched in the capital of Moldova, demanding that the new pro-Western administration completely fund people’s winter heating costs.
