Grosu on when Ozerov Will Be Accredited: Russia Must Withdraw Its Troops and Apologize

Parliamentary Speaker Igor Grosu stated that he would not rush to accredit the Russian ambassador. The speaker sees no grounds or conditions for Oleg Ozerov to be accredited. “I would not rush into accreditation (of Ambassador Ozerov) and I do not see any prerequisites or conditions for the representative of this state to be accredited. To be accredited, you need to show respect for the country you have arrived in and where you have been delegated to establish proper diplomatic relations. Such an attitude, confirmed by behavior and statements, is still a long way off. I do not see how, when and under what conditions this could happen. Unless, I don’t know, they withdraw their army (from the Transnistrian region), apologies and express regret for everything that has happened to us,” Grosu said, according to deschide.md. The Speaker of Parliament reiterated that Moldova seeks fair and pragmatic relations with all countries that respect the republic, demonstrate a friendly attitude, do not illegally station troops on its territory without the consent of the authorities, do not interfere in electoral processes and do not resort to blackmail. Ambassador Oleg Ozerov began working in Moldova in autumn 2024, but has not yet presented his credentials to President Maia Sandu. In February 2025, the head of state stated that Ozerov had not received an invitation due to Russia’s “disrespectful attitude” towards Moldova. “You cannot invite a representative of a country to present credentials when officials in Moscow say that the state of Moldova does not deserve to exist or say similar things. This is about the Kremlin’s general disrespectful attitude towards Moldova, about disrespect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. Unfortunately, this is nothing new and no longer surprises us,” Maia Sandu said at the time. Despite his status as merely an agreed ambassador without full powers, Ozerov has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on numerous occasions due to Russia’s actions, which the Moldovan authorities regard as hostile.