President Vladimir Putin revoked on Tuesday a 2012 decree that in part underpinned the Republic of Moldova’s sovereignty in resolving the future of the Transdniestria region – a Moscow-backed separatist region which borders Ukraine and where Russia keeps troops, according to Reuters.
The decree, which included a component of Republic of Moldova, outlined Russia’s foreign policy 11 years ago which assumed Moscow’s closer relations with the European Union and the United States.
The order revoking the 2012 document was published on the Kremlin’s website and states that the decision was taken to “ensure the national interests of Russia in connection with the profound changes taking place in international relations”.
It is part of a series of anti-Western moves announced by Putin on Tuesday.
Alexandru Flenchea, Moldovan chairman of the joint control commission in the security zone around Transdniestria, said the cancellation did not mean that Putin was abandoning the notion of Moldovan sovereignty.
“The decree is a policy document that implements the concept of Russia’s foreign policy,” Flenchea told Publika-TV. “Republic of Moldova and Russia have a basic political agreement that provides for mutual respect for the territorial integrity of our countries.”
The Kremlin has said that Russia’s relations with the Republic of Moldova, which last week approved a new pro-Western prime minister that vowed to pursue a drive to join the EU, were very tense. It accused Republic of Moldova of pursuing an anti-Russian agenda.
Wedged between Romania and Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest nations, has been led since 2020 by President Maia Sandu with strong U.S. and European Union backing. U.S. President Joe Biden met her in Poland on Tuesday affirming his support.
The 2012 decree committed Russia to seeking ways to resolve the separatist issue “based on respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and neutral status of the Republic of Moldova in determining the special status of Transdniestria”.
Republic of Moldova’s foreign ministry said it would “carefully study” the document.