Popescu: The Probability that Russia Will Attack Ukraine from the Transdniestrian Region Is Small

The head of Moldovan diplomacy notes that a potential attack on Ukraine from the Transdniestrian region does not look like a plausible scenario. According to Nicu Popescu, there are no suspicious actions on the territory of the Republic of Moldova that are not controlled by Chisinau, which would indicate a possible military preparations underway, ipn.md reports. At the same time, the foreign minister expressed hope that tensions between Moscow and Kyiv will not devolve into war, and the Republic of Moldova will retain its status as a neutral state rejecting military relations between the countries. Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu said that the Republic of Moldova strongly supports the dialogue-based peaceful settlement of conflicts between states. According to the official, the Russian troops withdrawal from the territory of the Republic of Moldova is one of the priorities of Moldovan diplomacy. “The Republic of Moldova insists on the sovereign right of states to pursue their own security policy. The Republic of Moldova firmly supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Another aspect that we have been insisting on in recent weeks is the withdrawal of troops illegally deployed on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. Our national interest lies in building a democratic, prosperous society, first of all, by ensuring peace in the Republic of Moldova. We rely on dialogue and peaceful interaction between States. As a neutral state, we avoid a conflict position, but we defend our principles: territorial integrity, further European integration, insistent demands for the withdrawal of Russian troops,” Nicu Popescu said on the air of Joi cu Liliana Barbăroșie program on a public TV channel. The head of Moldovan diplomacy said that the Republic of Moldova stands by those states that do not show aggression against other countries. The official noted that the government is preparing, among others, for negative scenarios in the region. However, the probability that Russia will attack Ukraine from the Transdniestrian region is very small. “The Republic of Moldova stands by those forces and those states that peacefully interact with other states. And they do not threaten other states with military force. This trend of increasingly militarized interaction in the region does not suit our society. As instructed by Madam President, all state institutions are preparing for all types of scenarios. All colleagues from the government are involved in these preparations. Nevertheless, we hope that this crisis will be avoided. In our direction, on the southwestern border of Ukraine, there are no unusual actions that would indicate military preparations or existing risks,” Popescu said. Two days ago, the Russian Federation announced a partial withdrawal of troops from the Ukrainian border. The Russian Defense Ministry noted they conducted military drills there. In response, Kyiv announced that it would believe Russia only when it saw the withdrawal of all troops concentrated on the border between the two countries. Point