Sandu: No Plans to Hold High-Level Meetings with Russia Yet

Moldova is interested in pragmatic and constructive cooperation with Russia, said President Maia Sandu. She called the negotiations with Gazprom “very tough”, and the conditions initially proposed were unaffordable for Chisinau, kommersant.ru reports. “The gas contract is about our relations with the Russian Federation. Problems, more or less serious, obviously exist. We have always been sincere and stated our interest in pragmatic and constructive cooperation based on mutual respect,” said Ms. Sandu on the air of Moldova-1. The President noted that Russia has made concessions on gas and the country will not buy it at market prices. Other problems in relations, according to her, include the export of Moldovan agricultural products, the Transdniestrian issue and agreements on social guarantees for Moldovan citizens who work in Russia. Maia Sandu said that high-level meetings with Russia are not planned yet. On November 17, the meeting of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova Niсolai Popescu and the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov is to take place. Preparations for a meeting of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation are also underway. Gazprom and Moldovagaz signed a new five-year gas supply contract late in October after several rounds of negotiations. The parties agreed to audit the debt.